Lily Evans and the Riddle House
by doctor.seuss
Summary: It's Lily's last year at her beloved Hogwarts. Voldemort is on the loose, wreaking havoc across the wizarding world. James Potter is on the loose as well, wreaking havoc in Lily's mind by appearing suddenly reformed. What couldn't happen? Ch.13 up finally
1. Chapter 1: To Hogwarts

_Scheduled Post: 15 __December __2006  
Actual Post: 14 __December __2006_

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_A/N: Hey all you! Here it is, new and improved! (For all who have no idea what I am talking about, don't worry!)  
_ _Just something I want to point out: JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books from a guy's POV, obviously. This is from a girl's point of view, so I would just like to say, the style of writing I would use for a guy's POV rather than a girl's is different. So if you accuse me of making the characters unrealistically, this is my theory.  
Please enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling._**  
**

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**-Chapter 1-**  
_To Hogwarts_

Lily's mother looked down her nose at her. "So? What was going on there, Lily?"

Lily looked guiltily down at the carpet. It had a very interesting triangle pattern on it. "What do you mean, Mum?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean, Lily Evans! You had your wand out on your sister! Now tell me why and then apologize to Petunia or else I will confine you to your room for the rest of the summer!"

Lily knew her mother wouldn't actually carry out her threat, and remained silent.

"And I will not let you at your schoolbooks to study! Now tell me!"

Lily gulped. No spellbooks? That would mean no studying, no homework finished and very angry teachers when she returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Mum, but…" Lily protested, but her mother's eyes were steely. "Alright… Petunia was teasing me about my friends and how I am a freak and Hogwarts and so on, just like always. Just this time I lost my temper and took out my wand. Mum, you know I wouldn't actually hurt Petunia. Besides, it's against the law."

Eleanor Evans pursed her lips, reminding Lily severely of Professor Minerva McGonagall, one of her teachers. "Hmm. Well, I suppose you are entitled to getting mad at that. Please be calmer next time, honey. And no more taking your wand out!"

"I'm sorry, Mum. It's just, sometimes, I wish that she…" Lily trailed off. _I wish that she wasn't born_ was what she wished. "Never mind, Mum. I'll try to stay calm."

Her mother's look softened. "Well, I'll have a talk with Petunia and we'll see. But you've still got to apologize, right, Lily!"

"Fine…"

-OOO-

Later, that evening, Lily was sitting on her bed, reading _Hogwarts, A History_, (her favourite book) when a tapping on her window interrupted her. She looked up to see a smallish owl eyeing her impatiently. It had a letter tied to its leg. She unlatched the window and it hopped onto her bed. Quickly she untied the envelope. It was fastened with a familiar red wax seal. She broke it hurriedly, unfolded the parchment and began reading.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore 

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed, of Wizards)

Dear Miss Evans, 

_We are pleased to inform you that you have gained the position of Head Girl this year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Contained in this envelope is a badge, which you are expected to wear at all time. Your Head duties, which you will be sharing with the Head Boy, are as follows…_

When Lily finished reading, she leaped off her bed and hugged herself. _Head Girl!_ Clutching her letter still, she sped out of her room, downstairs and into the living room, where her parents were reading and Petunia was watching TV.

"Lily, what's the matter?" asked Mark Evans.

"I got it!" she shouted.

Her parents exchanged confused looks.

"What did you get, dear?" her mother asked.

Lily bounced up and down in the middle of the room.

"I'm Head Girl! Mum, Dad, I'm Head Girl!"

Her parents, though Muggles – non-magical people – knew how much this meant to Lily.

"Oh, sweetie, that's amazing!"

As her parents enveloped her in hugs, Lily caught her sister's look. Was that… envy?

Ignoring her sister, Lily sped out the door and took off through the forest. The Evans' lived in the country out of London. The closest neighbouring house was only a short run through the woods, however. Lily burst into the house without knocking, and ran into the kitchen. A short plump woman stood at the stove, gesturing around with her wand.

"Hello, Mrs. Bones!" Lily sang, giving the woman a big hug.

"What's got you all full of joy, then?" Mrs. Bones sang.

"I got Head Girl!" Lily thought she could never be tired of saying that.

Without waiting for a reply from the woman, Lily ran up the stairs and into a small bedroom where a pretty, round-faced girl with long brown hair Lily's age was lounging on her bed, reading her Hogwarts letter.

"Lily!" Alice Bones, Lily's best friend, leapt up. "Did you get it?"

"Yes!" Lily cried, flinging the badge up in the air. All of her years at Hogwarts, this was the moment Lily had been aiming for, besides graduating. And now, here it was.

-OOO-

"Alright, honey, see you at Christmas!" Lily waved goodbye to her parents from a window as the Hogwarts Express chugged and started moving away from Platform 9 3/4.

"Lils!"

A voice made her spin about. Alice waved at her from down the train.

"C'mon, Giddy an' I got a compartment!"

Lily joined Alice, a tall brown-haired boy and a shorter black-haired boy in the train compartment. The taller boy was Gideon Prewett, a very talented young wizard, and the raven-haired boy was Fabian, his younger brother. Fabian was quieter than the enthusiastic Gideon, but equally talented.

After they exchanged greetings and summer stories, the compartment door slid open and a tall serene, Ravenclaw girl drifted through.

"Emmeline," Gideon said earnestly, jumping up. "Sit down."

She smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Gideon." Gideon's eyes brightened at the sound of her saying his name. However, Emmeline Vance turned to Lily.

"I heard you are Head Girl, Lily. Congratulations."

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Emmeline. I was a bit surprised it wasn't you."

"Yes. Well, I am not as popular as you, Lily." Despite her reasoning, Emmeline looked pleased. "But, that reminds me. Aren't you supposed to be instructing the prefects?"

"Oh!" Lily jumped up as if her seat were on fire. "Thanks for reminding me!"

She dashed down the corridor to the larger-than-usual end compartment. Inside were twenty-two fifth-, sixth- and seventh-years watching the door.

"Oh, hello." She said. "I'm the Head Girl, Lily Evans. Sorry I'm late." As she started going through the instructions listed on the letter, the door burst open again.

"Sorry I'm late," panted the boy, unknowingly echoing Lily. "I'm Head Boy."

Apparently he saw no reason to introduce himself, and Lily knew why.

For the boy was startlingly tall, thin and had rumpled black hair and large hazel eyes. He was Chaser and Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, a Marauder, a top student, very popular, and many girls' item of affection. Indeed, most of the girl's in the compartment were following his every move devotedly. 

"Potter," Lily said in a cold voice. "As great an actor as you are, I think it's about time you gave Remus his badge back."

James Potter grinned.

"Oh no, Evans! I would never steal from a fellow Marauder. I _am_ the Head Boy."

" Well. How… wonderful," she said, not hiding the sarcasm in her voice. "Would you be so kind as to help with the instructions, Potter?"

She expected an arrogant, know-it-all answer, but got instead a cheerful "Of course, Miss Evans," and a grin and a wink.

-OOO-

Lily told her friends about the Head Boy in the horseless carriage that brought them from the train to the castle that was Hogwarts. "… And I turned around, and you'll never guess who it is!" She finished.

"Er, Severus Snape?" guessed Giddy, judging from the look on her face.

"No, no, a different kind of person. He's probably the least likely that you'd think of."

A Ravenclaw seventh-year named Frank Longbottom had joined their group in the carriage.

"Sirius Black," he suggested, grinning.

"Well," she amended, grinning too. "Second least, then."

Giddy and Alice exchanged looks.

"Potter?" asked Alice. Groaning, Lily nodded as the carriage bumped to a stop.

"Oh, Lils," her best friend said sympathetically. "And you'll have to work with him all year!"

"He's not that bad, Lily," said Giddy comfortingly. "It's just, around you, he can't – er, never mind."

Lily and Alice glanced at each other.

"What? He can't what?" Alice inquired.

"Er, nothing. Nothing at all, seriously, Lils." Giddy looked hurt.

"Okay, never mind, then. So, Ali, who do you think is going to make the Gryffindor Seeker? They need a new one this year…"

Talk turned to Quidditch as they made their way towards the Great Hall. The big doors were open, and a tall, composed, young woman stood to the right of them.

"Good, evening, children," she said, smiling. This was Professor Minerva McGonagall, their Transfiguration teacher and head of their house, Gryffindor.

"Good evening, professor," they replied, and moved through the doors.

"Oh, yes, Miss Evans?" their professor continued. "Professor Dumbledore would like a word with you and Mr. Potter after supper."

Alice, Giddy, Fab and Lily waved goodbye to Emmeline and Frank as the Ravenclaws went to sit at their house table.

It appeared that they had missed the Sorting, the ceremony where a magical hat placed the new students in one of the four houses. There were the Slytherin's, who were renowned for their pride and determination, the Hufflepuff's, who were ultimately loyal, the clever Ravenclaw's, and finally, the Gryffindor's, who were placed in that house for their bravery and courage.

"Hey, Giddy, Fab, Lily, Alice!" A voice called. The four Gryffindor's made their way down the table to the waving, but as Lily saw who it was and who was sitting beside him, beaming, she groaned.

"Oh, come on, Lils. It won't kill you to sit with him, and you've got to get used to him," whispered Alice.

Lily rolled her eyes, but knew it was true. The hand belonged to the most popular, funny, handsome boy in the school, Sirius Black, but it wasn't him she minded. It was his best friend: James Potter,

She made sure to seat herself as far away from him as possible, whilst still staying in the group, and found herself sandwiched between Alice and Remus Lupin, another of Sirius and Potter's best friends. He, however, was unlike them, in fact rather like Lily in his studying habits. He had messy brown hair, a thoughtful air, and he was rather quiet and kind in comparison to Sirius and Potter.

He smiled at Lily.

"Congratulations, Lily! Head Girl!"

"Yeah, I know! And Potter… I wonder why he got the position?"

Remus grinned.

"Well, you might not have noticed, but he has deflated his head somewhat since last year. So I guess Dumbledore thought him the best boy for the job."

"Deflated his head? No, I hadn't noticed." There was an awkward silence as the students around them continued to talk about Quidditch. "Anyways, I thought that you and Emmeline were in line for the Heads, but I suppose Dumbledore-"

She was cut off by Alice nudging her and nodding towards the staff table.

Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster, has stood up. He was an old, old wizard with flowing silver hair, a long white beard and innumerable wrinkles in his face.

"Welcome," he called out, "to another year at Hogwarts. I hope everyone's summer was enjoyable, and everyone's looking forward to learning lots of new stuff. For now, however, let the feast… begin!"

Heaps of food appeared on the platters before them. They all piled food on their plates enthusiastically.

"Oh yeah," said Sirius, his mouth full of mashed potato. "Diff iv me cuvvin, Nym'ador' 'Onk'." He gestured to a small, snub-nosed girl sitting next to him. "She jus' got sor'ed in'o G'yffindo'."

"Sorry," said Potter, leaning across his plate so he could see Sirius' cousin on the other side of his best friend, "but what was your name again?"

She scowled and said, "_Nymphadora!_ I would rather you call me Tonks, my last name, though. My mother was crazy to call me that."

They all grinned.

"_You_ must be James Potter," she continued, pointing at Potter. "And _you_ are Remus Lupin, and are you… Estrella Rubia?" she pointed at Lily.

"Me?" she chuckled as Sirius turned red. "No, I'm Lily Evans. Estrella's down there." She waved to a pretty blonde girl near the end of the table, who got up and walked towards them, holding her plate.

"Hi, Lily! Hey everyone! How's it going?" She sat down on the other side of Alice, across from Sirius. "Are you okay, Sirius?" she said, looking concerned. "You seem to be rather red. The chicken curry too hot for you?"

"Er, I'm fine," he said, swallowing his mouthful as the others burst out laughing.

Estrella was a dramatically beautiful, tall and fun-loving. She was crazy about the opposite sex, and occasionally went to desperate measures to obtain her desired male. Although, she didn't have to resort to extreme plans to get their attention often, as she was by far the most obviously beautiful female at Hogwarts, unlike Emmeline, who was most definitely beautiful, but not so completely, or Alice, who could be more accurately described as cute.

"Wow! What's with the ceiling?" exclaimed Tonks.

"It's enchanted to look like the night sky," supplied Sirius, beaming at her like an older brother, glad to have the attention away from him.

"It's amazing!" Tonks breathed, staring upwards.

Lily and Alice exchanged looks, remembering their astonishment at the first sight of the apparently nonexistent ceiling of the Great Hall.

'Well," said Potter, helping himself to more peppermint humbugs, "I'm going to schedule the tryouts for Quidditch Seeker as soon as possible! I want a winning team this year, good enough to get that Cup!"

Quidditch was a wizard sport involving seven players on each team (a Keeper, two Beaters, three Chasers and a Seeker), a pitch with three hoops attached to poles standing on either end (which the Keeper's guarded, and the Chasers tried to score through), four balls (a Quaffle, the scoring ball, two Bludgers, which the Beaters hit with clubs to distract other players, and the Golden Snitch, which the Seeker has to catch to end the game). Then to complicate matters even further, everyone was on broomsticks.

Potter was the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, as well as a Chaser. He looked appraisingly at Tonks.

"What a pity you're only a first-year. You have just the right frame for Seeker." He frowned absentmindedly at Lily. "Ah, well…"

Lily felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

Sirius grinned proudly. "Hear that, Tonks? And Prongs knows his Quidditch players; he's been Captain for three years! This'll be his fourth."

Remus looked between Lily and Potter, confused.

"James?" he asked. "Any ideas who will try out?"

Potter shook his head slightly then blinked. "What? Oh, er, right…"

As the conversation continued, Lily pondered over her thoughts, picking at her dinner.

"Lils?" Alice nudged her again. Lily looked up to see everyone staring at her.

"What'd I miss?"

"James thinks you should try out for Seeker."

"Me? Are you insane? No way!" Lily said, with feeling.

Potter looked incredibly pleased with himself for disconcerting her. His eyes grinned at her over his beaker of pumpkin juice. Beside him, Sirius was nodding thoughtfully.

"Actually, Prongs has a point. You're slight, and I'm sure you'd have great reflexes with training," the handsome boy pointed out.

Lily shook her head. "Thanks, you two, but I actually want to concentrate on my studies this year. We have NEWTs, remember?"

Potter's grin disappeared.

_He looks_, thought Lily, _crestfallen. What about, I wonder? Not NEWTs! Something more… me? I've never actually affected him on a personal level before…_


	2. Chapter 2: The Order of the Phoenix

_Scheduled Post: 15 __December __2006  
Actual Post: 14 __December __2006  
_

* * *

_A/N: Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling._**  
**

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**-Chapter 2-**  
_The Order of the Phoenix_

The food vanished from everyone's plates as Dumbledore stood up again. He spread his arms out.

"My dear students. How many times must I tell you...? No students allowed in the Forbidden Forest. It is home to many dangerous creatures. Hogsmeade is accessible on the set weekends to those third-years and up that have permission forms signed by a parent or guardian. Also, may I remind a certain four seventh-year Gryffindor boys that even invisible students have to face the music! Now," he paused, surveying the array of students before him over half moon glasses with his penetrating blue eyes. He sighed. "Now to bed, all of you! You will have to be well-rested for the first day of classes tomorrow. Good night!"

In the flurry of students leaving the hall, Lily found herself beside Potter.

"Evans!" He exclaimed in delight. "I have a question for you. Can you guess what it is?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Potter, I can. The answer is no. Now, we should be getting along to Dumbledore's office."

Potter matched his long strides to her hurried ones easily as she hurried down the hallway.

"Alas, I am brushed off, as a fly–"

Stopping abruptly, Lily poked Potter in the chest fiercely.

"For your sake," she said, pushing him against the wall, "I hope you give up!"

Suddenly she was conscious of their proximity She moved her hand back sharply.

"I'm never saying yes to go out with you until you show me that you are mature… Which will be _never_. So get _off_ my back!"

Exasperated, she marched over to a gargoyle farther down the hall. It eyed her apprehensively.

"I suppose we wait until Dumbledore comes and gets us."

The stone gargoyle was the guard to the Headmasters office.

Potter's face turned from deep thought to amusement. "Have you never been in Dumbledore's office before, Evans?"

"No," she raised her eyebrow. "I have never gotten myself into enough trouble to have to be judged by the Headmaster."

"Ah, well, that would explain," he said condescendingly, patting her arm, which she snatched away.

"Don't touch me!" she hissed.

"Sorry, sorry," he said apologetically as he put his hands up in surrender. 'It's just, the password is _sugar quill_. In case you were wondering."

She whirled around. "How do you know that?" she demanded.

"Er, I have my ways… anyways, to get into there when he's expecting you, you just…" he paused to nod familiarly at the gargoyle. "Oi, we're here to talk to Dumblydore about our Headships. James Potter and Lily Evans at your service."

Lily could feel the gargoyle examining them. She almost expected it to demand photo ID, but then it sprung aside, revealing a revolving, ascending, circular staircase, which Potter stepped onto, letting it move him upwards. Reluctantly, she followed him. Silence pervaded.

Potter had changed slightly over the summer. His nose was slightly longer, and he was now over six feet. His hair was still interminably messy and his spectacled eyes were still the same hazel brown.

"Yes?" he inquired, looking very puzzled.

Lily realized that she was staring into his eyes, and shook her head.

"Nothing."

To her surprise, he didn't make any smart remark about how she couldn't resist him.

At the top was a large with a brass knocker modeled after a griffin. Potter pulled it up, then let it go, conceiving a rather large bang. Immediately, the door swung open, revealing a large circular room filled with twinkling silver objects. Along one section of wall were shelves and shelves of books, and on the opposite side was a series of tall cupboards. Directly across from the two students was a cluttered desk, behind which was Dumbledore himself, who was perusing a large leather-bound volume, one finger moving along the page and eyebrows raised. The finger paused.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Evans. Do come in," he raised his head to look at them.

Something _swished_ past Lily, and a bright gold-feathered phoenix landed on Potter's shoulder.

"Hello, Fawkes," Potter fondly stroked the bird, who whistled and preened Potter's black hair.

"I see Fawkes has remembered you. Although," the Headmaster gazed reprovingly at Potter, "after a certain incident, I don't see how he could _forget_."

Potter grinned cheekily.

"Anyways," Dumbledore continued. "I know you have heard about the recent deaths. They were induced by Death Eaters, my dear students, and as you know, we want to prevent accidents such as these as much as possible." Dumbledore checked himself. "But where are my manners! Please, sit down. Wherever you please, Lily," he encouraged as she looked around the room.

There were only two chairs in the room, and both were occupied, one by Dumbledore, and the other by two large piles of books. Potter strode to a spot in front of Dumbledore's desk, and made to sit down on nothing. A large comfy chair appeared beneath him just in time.

"Most inconvenient," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at Lily as she tentatively pretended to sit down beside Potter. She started when another chair was suddenly _there_. "I have been mentioning it to Argus for ages. I may have to take matters into my own hands soon!

"Now," he closed the book, stood up, and clasped his long, pale fingers. "As I am sure you do _not_ know there is an organization that is dedicated to keeping everyone safe from and stopping Voldemort and his followers. This organization is formed by a collection of witches and wizards who I know are unwaveringly and unfathomably loyal to me. This collection of men and women are named _the Order of the Phoenix_." Dumbledore bestowed Fawkes, still on Potter's shoulder, a smile. "It is thanks to this Order that we are all still alive today. Many of the witches and wizards you know are part of it. Professors' McGonagall, for example, both Minerva and Maxilla. Professor Bones, your dear friend Alice's elder cousin, and Professor Dramathe are all deeply involved with our struggle to defeat Voldemort. Your friend's the Prewetts' mother and father–"

The Headmaster of Hogwarts was interrupted by an oily, sarcastic voice. "Oh, Dumbledore, enough already! Just tell them what you brought them here for before I and the rest of us truly fall asleep."

Potter, Lily and Dumbledore turned to look at the portrait of a shrewd, clever-looking man to the left of Dumbledore's desk that Lily could have sworn was empty when they had entered the room. His mouth was arranged in a permanent sneer.

"Ah, Phineas! Impatient, as usual." Dumbledore stood up. "Very well, I shall tell them, but only when the time is right. James, Lily, meet Phineas Nigellus, a dear departed former Headmaster of this school, and an ancestor of you're very closest friend, James."

Potter's eyes bulged. "Sirius? You're a relative of Sirius'?" 

Phineas Nigellus' nostrils flared. "Yes. Unfortunately that makes me related to his parents as well. Ugh, those two - and their younger son, Regulus – make me want to…" the old man trailed off, then made a neck-wringing motion with his hands. "Not that I am particularly fond of Sirius, the eldest, either. A Gryffindor! Talk about disgrace to the family!" He shivered in what appeared to be pure horror.

The elderly men and women in the other portraits hung on the office's walls, who Lily supposed were also former Headmasters and Headmistress's, had been asleep, or at least pretending to, when the two students entered the room. Now, they were all very clearly wide-awake – excluding a large, red man wearing a lopsided, curly, grey wig, who was snoring away in the far corner.

"Oh, Phineas!" a thin beaky woman reprimanded. "Sirius is a _good_ boy!"

"Quite, quite, although a bit mischievous," a sleepy-looking man with thin, grey hair agreed.

"Mischievous, my monocle!" This time a pompous man with a toothbrush mustache was talking. Brandishing said monocle, he cried, "A true scallywag! A dirty rascal, a silly, sly, presumptuous mollypiggle!"

Professor Dumbledore, who had been watching this exchange closely with an amused look on his face, put a hand up to silence the former Headmaster. "I am afraid I am going to have to interrupt you here, Cholmondely. For now, I have business with these students, and they have much to do before their impending bedtime."

All of the grumbling portraits silenced, and many fell into a sudden, apparent deep slumber once again.

Fawkes chirped quietly and flew from Potter's shoulder to Dumbledore's. The old man stroked the beautiful phoenix's head with one finger whilst staring into the fire.

"Sir," Potter began, "what are we exactly here for, and why have you told us all this about the order of the Phoenix?"

This had been the exact thing that Lily had been wondering, and she leaned forward, nodding.

"Ah," Dumbledore blinked. "Yes, those are both very astute questions, James. And I will tell you the answer, for one answers both." He sat down again. "I am asking you two to join the Order of the Phoenix."

There was complete silence in the round office. All of the painting's eyes were open again, observing the two seventeen year olds as a cat does when staring at a mouse hole.

"I'm in." Potter stood up. His mind worked faster than Lily's in emergencies, but not in the classroom.

Lily thought about what Dumbledore had informed them of, took it all into her head, lined it up.

"Me, too, Professor." She rose, following Potter's lead.

The Headmaster's eyes shone fiercely. "Are you absolutely, positively sure?"

"Yes, sir," they chorused.

"You have no idea how amazingly glad I am at your decision." Dumbledore's face seemed to beam happiness at them. For a moment he just sat there, staring at them joyfully. "Now, that is not the end of our meeting, no. There is one more thing that I have to ask of you, and it is perhaps more risky that my previous question, as this one relies on _your_ judgment, not mine. Do you know of any of your classmates who are worthy of being a part of the Order as well?"

As Potter opened his mouth, Dumbledore silenced him with a raised hand. "My dear James, my dear Lily, please exercise this privilege of picking out members with utmost caution. You never know who might be hiding beneath a façade of niceness, friendliness. There might be something completely different underneath. Do you understand?"

Potter and Lily nodded in unison.

"Wonderful. You are welcome to advise me of these trustworthy persons at any time over the school year. Meanwhile, one of the McGonagall sisters will let you know about it tomorrow." Dumbledore rose and moved, long burgundy robes rustling, to in front of the two students. "James Potter." He placed a hand on Potter's shoulder. "Lily Evans." His other hand rested on her own shoulder. "I know you have had, shall we say, difficulties cooperating in the past, but I also know you can overcome that. This year you two, as Head Boy and Girl, and members of the Order, will have to work together numerous times." He clapped each of them on the shoulder simultaneously. "Thank you… thank you."

As Potter and Lily made their way to the door, Dumbledore spoke once more.

"Ah, James, Lily?"

They both stopped and turned.

"Be careful."

Potter nodded and Lily smiled at the Headmaster.

"We will, sir," she reassured him. "We will."

* * *

_A/N: That one's a little bit shorter... sorry:)_


	3. Chapter 3: Potter's Change of Brain

_Scheduled Post: 15 __December__ 2006  
Actual Post: 14 __December __2006_

* * *

_Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling.  
_

* * *

**-Chapter 3-**  
_Potter's Change of Brain_

"Class!" the short-ish, chubby-ish professor in front of them cleared his throat. The class silenced. "Thank you, boys and girls. This year is your last year at Hogwarts and you are here because of your apparent skill in the way of Muggles," harrumphed Professor William Smith, Muggle Studies teacher. "We are going to focus on automobiles this first half-term. Who can tell me how old Muggles have to be to drive an automobile?"

Lily raised her hand quickly. She had gotten her license in the summer between fifth and sixth year, as she had been at Hogwarts for her birthday, which was 19 March.

"Miss Evans?"

"Sixteen, sir. And eighteen for a full license."

"Wonderful, wonderful! Five points to Gryffindor."

As the class started discussing airbags, Alice tapped Lily on the arm. Alice had had to wake her friend up that morning just in time for a hurried breakfast and a run to their first lesson, Muggle Studies. They hadn't had a chance to talk about last night.

"Where were you, Lils?" Alice asked.

"I went up to Dumbledore's with Potter and he told us about this thing called the Order of the Phoenix…" Lily quietly told Alice about the events of last night, making sure no one was listening by randomly shooting the Muffling Charm - _Muffliato -_ out around them. Sirius had told the girls about it in their sixth year. "He told us that lots of people we know are part of it," she continued. "Like both McGonagall's, your cousin Edgar, and Giddy and Fab's parents."

"McGonagall? No kidding!" Alice's eyed were wide.

"Girls! Attention up here, please!" Professor Smith pointed his wand sternly at them. "Now, Miss Bones, please tell me how many adult Muggles an average-sized car can seat."

As her friend answered, Lily thought, _definitely Alice. She would be on the list_. Opening up to a fresh page in her notebook, she wrote _Alice_ at the top.

As the bell rang, Professor Smith called, "An essay seven inches thick on how Muggles manufacture steering wheels is due on Wednesday, class!"

The two girls hoisted their book bags off the floor.

"What've you got next, Alice?"

The girl fished her schedule, which Professor Minerva McGonagall had provided all of the Gryffindor's with that morning, out of her pocket.

"Herbology, you?"

Lily shook her head.

"I've got Divination. I doubt any of our group will be in it."

"I'm sure you'll survive." Alice patted her arm.

"I'll be so lonely!" Lily laughed.

Both girls burst out laughing.

"See you later!"

Lily trudged her way up to the North Tower, clutching her overflowing bag. At the top of a long hike and many flights of stairs was an open trapdoor with a ladder leading up to it. She heaved her book bag on to her shoulder and clambered up the ladder.

"My dear!" A tall beautiful woman came sweeping over, cloaked in a tasteful scarlet.

"Hello, Professor Dramathe," Lily smiled. She had always liked the enthusiastic Divination teacher, and often came to her for advice on things.

Iris Dramathe engulfed her in an overwhelming hug.

"How are you? How was your summer?" The professor had long black hair coiled into a braid around her head. Her black eyes were charmingly slanted, which gave her the opportunity for many sidelong glances.

"I'm fine, it was fine, except for my sister." Lily made a disgusted face.

"Well," Professor Dramathe hugged her again. "You're here now, aren't you? I'm afraid-" The professor released her and glanced regretfully around the room. "-There are not many of your crowd in this class. Carodoc Dearborn I'm sure you know, as he's in your year. Oh, and Emmeline Vance is in this period as well, she should arrive soon, so there you go. Please have a seat, Lily, dear."

Lily dropped her bad, sat down in a large overstuffed chair and took a look around one of her favourite classrooms. It hadn't changed since the year before. There were still comfy chairs like hers arranged around the room next to round tables. The windows, of which there were many, were all open a crack to let a clean fresh breeze into the incurably stuffy room

"Lily!" Lily looked up to see Estrella Rubia swinging into the armchair beside her.

"Estrella! Hi! I didn't know you were in this class."

The blue-eyed girl smiled. "Yes, I just got switched over from Herbology. I got an OWL in that too, but I didn't want it anyhow. Now I'm glad that I switched, as you're here, and Emmeline as well!"

"Estrella, Lily," Emmeline plopped gracefully down into a bright green and purple patterned chair and shook her head. "It is _such_ a relief to see you two. I've just come from History of Magic and let me tell _you_, it was much more boring than any of our earlier years. _And_ I've got a five-inch thick essay on the magical side of the Korean War due on Wednesday. You would think that they would give us a break on our first day back. Have you two got any homework yet?" the tall Ravenclaw asked, tossing her waist-length, sheet-straight, silky, brown hair over her shoulder

With her gentle voice, her perfect grammar, her great patience, her tendency to speak without exclamation marks, and her ability to be a teacher's pet without being stuck up, Emmeline was definitely going on Lily's list as well.

"Yeah, seven inches thick on steering wheels from Professor Smith," chorused the other girls, and then laughed.

"You're in my Muggle Studies as well?" Lily laughed.

"Yes, I suppose you didn't notice me as you were with Alice." Estrella smiled without a trace of annoyance on her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I am like that aren't I? Oblivious when Alice is around, I mean. It's just, I've known her since I was born, you know? And she lives right near me and…"

Emmeline and Estrella were both smiling when she finished talking.

"Oh, Lily!" said Estrella.

"We understand," Emmeline continued.

"It's nice to have a bestest friend like that, isn't it? When there's something you need to talk about. Don't worry," Estrella finished.

Lily smiled back. "Thanks, guys. It's always good to know that I've got other best friends. It's just my nature to worry, you know."

"Boys and girls!" Professor Dramathe interrupted the girls' conversation. "Last year we started predicting solid things, such as the weather, or what clothes your partner was going to be wearing the next day. Minor things, but solid.

"This year we are going to be moving on to bigger things, from births to loves, from a whole year ahead, to what we Seers call _concrete prophecies_. Can anyone tell me what concrete prophecies mean?"

Lily put her hand up, but Professor Dramathe chose someone else – for once.

A small, dark, startlingly beautiful girl had raised her hand.

"It's a prophecy that has no classification, really. It has to be connected directly to someone, and it can be from the past, present, or future."

"Absolutely correct, Miss Black. Ten points to Slytherin." The professor turned back to address the whole class. " For example, in some Greek legends, there were old women who made prophecies that weren't connected to anything in particular except a certain person. Such as the tale of Troy, when Paris was born, his nurse-to-be told his parents he would be the 'burning flame' that would destroy Troy one day.

"Unlike minor prophecies, where you think of exactly what you want to know, like 'Where am I going to be at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon?', you would just look at a person, or say their name, concentrate on them and then gaze into the crystal ball, or whichever scrying device you are using. They are very vague, and require a lot of interpretation skills."

As Professor Dramathe talked, Lily had been staring at the girl the professor had addressed as Miss Black. She had never noticed her before, and wondered who she was.

She was quite small - perhaps five foot two inches - and had very dark brown hair in one single, thick braid down her back, which just brushed the floor. Her eyes were huge and black, with incredibly long eyelashes. There were dark circles underneath them, as if she hadn't been getting enough sleep lately.

"Oh, Lily? You haven't got a partner yet?" Professor Dramathe interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh," Lily looked around. Everyone was moving about to other people's tables, staring into glass balls or mirrors, chatting to their friends.

"I've just told everyone to partner up, Lily, dear. You must have zoned out for a second. Oh, Miss Black here still doesn't have a partner. You can be together."

The professor smiled widely whilst propelling the small girl towards Lily.

"Hello, I'm Lily Evans," Lily introduced herself rather lamely.

"I know," she said quietly, smiling. "I'm Narcissa Black. I think you know my cousin quite well, Sirius."

"He's really your cousin?" Lily gaped. First Nymph, then Phineas Nigellus, and now this beautiful Narcissa who Lily had never noticed before. Sirius always said he was part of an amazingly huge, tight-knit, purebred family, but they had never started popping up like this before. "Wow, I never would have guessed!"

"Well, our last names… they _are_ the same."

"Good point."

Narcissa sat down in the chair Emmeline had just vacated. Lily smiled sheepishly.

"So, I wasn't really paying attention when she told us what we were doing…"

"Don't worry, all we're doing is reviewing minor prophecies."

During the lesson, Lily discovered that the girl was quick, sharp and clever as well as kind, considerate and beautiful. She also realized that this was a lot to think about someone in an hour and a half, and although she hoped her first impression was right, she couldn't help remembering Dumbledore's words of caution from the night before about people hiding under a façade of niceness.

-OOO-

Professor Dramathe didn't assign the class any homework, much to Lily's joy. At lunch she met up with Alice at the Gryffindor table.

"Hello," she said, letting her bag drop as she sat down. "I swear my shoulder is going to fall off!"

Estrella was sitting on Alice's other side.

"I told Emmeline our password, Lily, hope you don't mind…" She said, tossing her long, perfectly wavy hair over her shoulder.

"Mind?" Lily laughed. "Not at all, I would have told her myself."

After stuffing their stomachs with delicious food, the girls didn't do much talking, but got onto their Muggle Studies essay.

Many people asked Lily why she took Muggle Studies when she was born a Muggle. The reason was because it was so interesting to see her old world from a magical point of view. Also, she learned so much that she hadn't already known. How steering wheels were made, for instance! Okay, so that wasn't the most interesting subject ever, but more often than not the lessons were fun.

A small paper Golden Snitch fluttered over her essay, then fell onto it, unfolding as it dropped. It lay flat over her careful handwriting.

_I need to talk to you about a misunderstanding,_ read the first line. A drop of ink plopped from Lily's raised quill to cover the initials at the bottom: JP, in a neat hand, beside a small doodle of a leaping stag. She made a face and returned to the note. _Are you in third period Transfiguration?_ She looked up to see Potter staring at her from down the table. Reluctantly, she nodded. He grinned and winked back.

Half an hour later, Lily entered the Transfiguration classroom with Alice, just as the bell rang. Professor McGonagall glared at them as the hurriedly sat down in the nearest empty seats: next to Potter, Remus and Sirius.

After the professor stopped talking, Potter leaned towards her across the table.

"Evans!" he whispered.

She closed her eyed, counted to ten, then looked at him again.

The rest of their table got up and went over to sit with Giddy and Estrella across the room. As chatter rose up around them, Lily waited impatiently for Potter to get on with it.

"So, you know yesterday when you so rudely told me I was immature and unworthy of you because you thought I was going to ask you out _again?_"

"Well, weren't you?" Lily shot back.

"Actually, no," he smiled. "I was going to beg you to join the Quidditch team. You assumed the worst, but I don't blame you, really. I admit that I _was_ rather immature in my fifth and sixth year concerning my behavior towards you, but I'm over that now."

He seemed sincere. Lily eyed him suspiciously.

"Look," he continued, determined in convincing her of his change of brain. "You know when Dumbledore told us he knew we could work together without one of us getting killed?"

She tilted her head questioningly.

"Well, I decided to try and get along with you properly. Besides, don't you think it's kind of hard to hate me when you're friends with all my friends and I'm friends with all yours? We used to be friends before I became an arsehole."

He was right, Lily decided. What Remus had said was true: Potter had deflated his head a lot since the year before – the old Potter would never have admitted to being an arsehole.

"Alright, Potter, you win," she said, smiling at him for the first time in ages. "Let's try it, shall we?" She rose to go join the rest of their friends.

"Oh, Evans?"

She turned.

"Call me James."

To her surprise, she found herself grinning again. "Okay. I guess I will, James."

At the end of the lesson, McGonagall motioned Lily and James to stay as the class filed out of the room, clutching parchment and book bags.

Professor Minerva McGonagall had worked at Hogwarts since Lily's first year, making the present one her seventh year. Though stern, she was fair and Lily respected her greatly.

"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter," she greeted them, placing a stack of paper on her desk. "Professor Dumbledore told you I would consult you about a certain matter to do with the Order?"

James stepped forward. "Yes, Professor. I have two names already."

"I have three," Lily added.

"Wonderful," the Professor beamed. "Please write them down here, I'll take them to the Headmaster. Remember, they must be at least seventeen years of age." She turned back to her blackboard and cleaned it with a sweep of her wand.

James took up the quill on her desk, dipped it in an inkwell, and quickly scribbled two names. He handed the quill to Lily.

Underneath _Sirius Black_ and _Remus Lupin_, she carefully wrote _Emmeline Vance, Alice Bones_ and _Estrella Rubia_. She knew these three were at least as loyal to Dumbledore as her, which was a lot.

As they made their way to the Gryffindor common room for their free period, Lily took James' arm.

"James," she said, finding the word coming easily out of her mouth. She realized she had been calling him James in her head since earlier in the lesson. She took it as a good sign. "I was wondering… you wrote Sirius and Remus down on the sheet, but what about Peter Pettigrew?"

Pettigrew was a small fat boy who had followed the three boys around since first year. He was also a Marauder, which was what the four called themselves. His friends knew him as Wormtail.

James looked up and down the hallway, making sure it was empty before answering.

"Evans…" he started. He leaned closer to her and placed a hand on the wall over her shoulder. "Wormtail, I – I mean, we, don't trust him. The three of us. We think that he – well, he's not brave, for sure. He's a coward, Evans, and he can't be depended on with important stuff like the Order, you know?"

He was really close, and Lily could smell his cologne.

"Do you shave?" she asked him.

"_What?_" He looked at her like she was insane.

"Oh, _Merlin_. I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to say that, I don't know why I said that-"

He placed a finger on her lips. "Ssh, Evans, it's okay."

She realized she was blushing ferociously, and ducked under his arm.

"We'd better get to the common room. The others will be wondering where we are."

Further down the hall, James stopped again next to a portrait of three nuns doing the laundry.

"Oh, Evans?" Above the billowing of two nuns shaking out a sheet, James said, "About what I said about Wormtail? Don't tell anyone I said that. Well, besides the obvious, of course: our friends. But no one else, especially not him!"

"Got it," she reassured him as the nuns folded the sheet and placed it in a basket. The third nun stared reprovingly at the two seventh-years.

When they were about to enter the portrait hole – a fat lady wearing a pink dress resided in the painting that was the entrance to the Gryffindor common room – James said, "I do."

"What?" She said, very puzzled.

"Shave." He winked.

* * *

_A/N: Harharhar... I like that chapter... and it's pretty long:)_


	4. Chapter 4: Stereotypes and Quidditch

_Scheduled Post: 15 __December__ 2006  
Actual Post: 14 __December__ 2006_

* * *

_A/N: The first bit of this chappie is a bit weird. I apologize in advance...  
Yay, Quidditch! I go rather overboard when describing games, guyses, so beware! The first one is not for a while though... Just so you know, Gryffindor doesn't play for a while, because the game schedule that I organized goes like this: Slytherin-Hufflepuff (September), Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff (October), Gryffindor-Ravenclaw (November), Slytherin-Ravenclaw (January), Gryffindor-Hufflepuff (March), Gryffindor-Slytherin (June). Three games take place before Christmas, three after... so there you go. For those of you who are like "Wow, what a neeerd!" right now, it didn't take that much time to make up, okay? Plus, I really like Quidditch.  
This is only Quidditch tryouts, guys, so don't get too excited!  
_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling._

* * *

**-Chapter 4-**  
_Stereotypes and Quidditch  
_

Later that night, Emmeline joined Lily, Alice and Estrella in the Gryffindor common room. She had a rather trying star chart to fill out for Astronomy, and the other three had a huge essay due the next Monday in Transfiguration. Lily looked at her notes for the essay, sighed and flipped over to a loose page she hadn't noticed before. It was a letter from her mother and father that she had received that morning at breakfast but had completely forgotten about. She quickly read it over.

"Oh, Ali!" All the girls looked up. "Your family's coming for Christmas!"

"Oh, good!" The curly haired girl beamed. "Finally! We always do something boring for Christmas, but this one will be exciting!"

Reluctantly, they went back to homework.

"Do you suppose," spoke up Estrella half an hour later, "That the only time we'll spend together out of classes this year will be finishing homework?"

"Oh," groaned Emmeline. "I certainly _do_ hope not."

Alice, who hadn't been paying attention to this exchange, laughed rather suddenly. Lily and Estrella exchanged glances whilst Emmeline examined Alice concernedly.

"Have you ever noticed that all of our crew fits into kinds of stereotypes?" The girls looked at her like she was mad. "Okay, like Emmeline, for example," she continued.

The rest of them looked on attentively, looking for any excuse to take a break from essays and charts.

"Emmeline is a queen. All stately and beautiful. And, um, Giddy! He's a prince: golden-haired, handsome and everyone looks up to him."

"Yes, you're right," Emmeline agreed quickly, then looked around guiltily.

"Oh," said Lily, catching on. "Estrella's a goddess!"

The group laughed.

"_What?_" Wailed Estrella, shaking her head violently.

"Yes, yes, you are!" Insisted Alice. "Goddess describes you perfectly. Like a mortal Aphrodite! Name one boy in this whole damn school who wouldn't give all his money for a smile from you!"

"Remus," Lily volunteered.

"Giddy, Fab, Frank," Emmeline added.

"James," Lily finished, then covered her mouth.

"James? _James?_" The other three asked rather loudly. A few second years in the corner jumped and then stared at them warily. "Not Potter?"

Lily bit her lip and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, _James_. We, well, shall I say, _made peace_ this afternoon." Ignoring their raised eyebrows, she moved on. "Anyway, Sirius is your male equivalent, Estrella. A _god_, per se. Every single _girl_, except, of course, the select few, would die if he was simply within fifty feet of them."

They nodded, forgetting about 'James'.

"Whereas I, Alice Mary Bones, am the boring, straight O student, who all parents love," the aforementioned moaned, sticking her tongue out and crossing her eyes.

"Don't be silly!" Emmeline insisted. "You are the smart, clever, popular, straight O student!"

Estrella laughed, and then added, "Yes, like Supergirl-next-door!"

"Oh, yes! Just dial 1-800-grl-nxt-door, and I'll be there to solve your latest homework problem or babysitting fiasco!" Alice stood up and put a fist in the air triumphantly. The second years stared at her from across the room.

Once she had sat down again, Estrella carried on naming their friends.

"There's all the rest of the boys, too: Frank, the gangly, awkward, _handsome _bumpkin; Remus, the studious, perfect, quiet, _lovely_ insomniac; Fab, the younger, compelling, charming, _adorable _sweetie; and James, the oldest, dramatic, charismatic, witty, _gorgeous_ athlete. Actually," she paused. "_All _our guy friends are wonderfully good-looking!" She beamed.

"Yes," Emmeline cut in, nudging her. "_Especially_ Sirius, don't you agree, Estrella?"

"Well, I suppose," the blonde said vaguely, then glowered at Emmeline. "Whatever do you mean, Em?"

"Oh, nothing," the pretty brown-haired girl, looking perfectly innocent in the face of her best friend's puzzlement.

"Oh, wait," Alice grinned. "We forgot one person."

"Yes," Emmeline persisted. "Our best quarter."

"The most amazing of us all!" Put in Estrella.

"What, Pettigrew?" Lily joked.

"Noooooo, silly! _You!_" Alice proclaimed stridently, making the second years jump timorously again.

"Don't be dim, girls," Lily flushed. "_I'm_ not amazing. I'm the boring one!"

"Without you, we wouldn't be here!" Emmeline protested.

"Yes, Lils, you're the glue!" Estrella alleged.

"Without you, I just might be sitting over by the fire, all by my onesies," Alice grumbled, gesturing towards the dancing fire behind the grate, warm and inviting.

"Well, thank Merlin for me then," said Lily sarcastically.

"No, no," Emmeline said earnestly. "Without you we wouldn't know Giddy or Fab, and so therefore we wouldn't know Frank, Sirius, Remus, or _James_!"

Lily rolled her eyes, turning even redder.

"You guys are ridiculous, I swear. Completely certifiable."

"Oh yes," Alice slung her arm around her carrot-topped best friend. "But that's why you love us."

"Do you love me, too?" came a plaintive voice from behind them.

Sirius, who had spoke, and James vaulted over the couch back, whilst Remus took the more sensible route.

"Of course!" Estrella replied, putting on the wide smile she always wore when boys were around. "We all love _all_ of you!"

"Is that so?" Sirius slid over to where Estrella was curled up next to her book bag.

"Maybe not you," she retorted saucily as she dumped the bag into the gap between them.

"What?" He said in a whiny voice. "Lily, don't you love me?"

"Well… Sirius, I hate to break it to you but…" Lily hesitated, touching a delicate finger on her pale cheek.

"_What_?" Sirius grumped.

"Y'know, Padfoot, you can be rather juvenile at times," James remarked from where he had landed beside Lily.

"What? Not you, too, Prongs!" Sirius cried, burying his head in his hands. "What is it, Sirius-Bashing Day?"

"Hey, it only comes once a year," James reasoned, shaking his raven-haired head. "Got to make the most of it." He winked at Lily.

"I'll remember to skip out next year," Sirius mumbled, laying his handsome head on the back of the red couch.

"Have you finished your Transfiguration essay yet, Evans?" James inquired, turning to the petite girl.

"Very nearly, James," she smiled, unsure what to say to the boy she hadn't conversed civilly with since the third year, and still feeling reluctant to talk to him at all without calling him a conceited toerag.

"Would you like help?" he offered gallantly.

"That's James' way of saying 'Lily, will you write my Transfiguration essay for me?'" Remus supplied, looking up from the novel he was perusing.

Lily giggled, then told James, "Well, I won't write it _for_ you, but I _will_ help you."

He bowed to her. "Thank you, o smart one," he intoned boisterously.

The timid second years, who had been glancing nervously at the group since the boys had joined them, hurriedly collected their things and exited the room, spilling ink and parchment in their rush.

"You know what?" Lily heard Alice tell Emmeline. "I was wrong. None of us fit into stereotypes. We're _all_ unique!"

"Alice?" Emmeline asked.

"Yes?"

"That was just _too_ corny."

"Right. Sorry."

"Even cornier than the whole stereotype thing in the first place."

"Got it."

"You sure?"

"_Very!_"

-OOO-

The next day, Lily had her three other classes: Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms.

The Potions professor, Horace Slughorn, was as overwhelming as ever, and quickly invited Lily, Remus and James to one of his infamous Slug Club meetings. The Slug Club was his careful selection of students who seemed to be heading for great places, in Professor Slughorn's eyes.

"First one of the year, very exclusive!" he boomed encouragingly. All three 'mmhm'ed vaguely and started busily rifling through last years notes.

As well as Remus and James, Estrella, Giddy, Frank and Emmeline were in the damp Potions dungeon classroom.

Her next hour and fifteen minute lesson was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Lily found this subject very challenging, but even more interesting. Alice's older cousin, Edgar Bones, who was doing a student teacher's work experience, taught it. He was quite a humourous, talented teacher, and Lily knew she would enjoy his classes.

All of her gang was in Defense, including Sirius and Alice.

The only alternative for Defense for seventh-years was Arithmancy, which Lily was quite fond of. It had been hard for her to not take it, but if she wanted to be an Auror, her chosen career choice, then she needed Defense.

An Auror was a witch or wizard who fought and captured Death Eaters.

The last class of the day was Charms, Lily's favourite lesson of all. Professor Filius Flitwick was as tiny and squeaky as ever. He was levitating cushions onto his chair as Lily walked in.

"Miss Evans!" He piped, beaming ferociously. "Just making sure I can see!"

The lesson, of course, was all review from the year before, and Lily sped through it effortlessly. Estrella, Alice, Remus, and Frank were the only close friends who chose Charms over Astronomy.

Lily also noticed Narcissa Black, the girl from Divination, sitting once again in a corner.

"One second," Lily told Alice, who was chattering away about how much she missed summer. Narcissa saw Lily coming, but didn't smile or nod, of acknowledge her at all. She just stared blankly at Lily.

"Hey, Narcissa," Lily said friendlily.

"Hello," Narcissa in monotone.

"Would you like to come sit with me and my friends?" Lily invited, unsure after Narcissa's cool reception. However, at the question, Narcissa's eyes lit up like candles and her wide lips curved into a smile.

"Are you serious?"

Lily smiled bemusedly back. "Of course! Come on."

As she pulled Narcissa towards her friends' table, Lily could see fear in the smaller girl's eyes. _She must be afraid of rejection_, Lily concluded.

"Alice, Frank, Estrella, Remus!" Lily interrupted their chattering. All four examined the strange girl. "This is Narcissa Black, guys. I met her in Divination."

They were all silent, taking each other in.

"Are you a relative of Sirius', by any chance?" Remus queried quietly. Narcissa met his eyes and nodded.

"Cousin," she replied.

Suddenly, Alice beamed, liking the girl instantly.

"Lovely! Sit down!"

As Narcissa and Lily sat, Lily worried about Estrella. The beautiful girl was very protective of her friends, and didn't like sharing.

"Sirius' cousin, hey? Tell me, how long _exactly_ is your hair?" Estrella asked, her blue eyes hooded. _This is her test, I suppose,_ Lily pondered.

"About five and a half feet last time I measured it," Narcissa told Estrella, obviously curious as to why she had asked.

"Wow," Estrella smiled. In some way, Narcissa had passed. Now there were only James, Giddy, Fab and Emmeline to meet her. Lily was sure Sirius must have already.

It was their free block next, and the Gryffindor's met in their Common Room and hurriedly got started on homework. James enlisted Lily to 'help' him with a Potions anecdote. Once he had jotted down the last measurement, with her watching carefully, he glanced at his watch and let out a loud whoop.

"Did I miss something?" a puzzled Lily inquired.

"You and I," he informed her, "are going somewhere." This only made her more confused. "The Quidditch pitch," he reminded her. "We have to clean the dressing rooms…"

"Oh right! I always forget about Head duties."

Lily and James went up their separate staircases to fetch their cloaks. They met outside the portrait hole.

"So," James began as they walked part the statues and the paintings on the walls. "How am I doing?"

Lily was surprised he had the courage to ask. If a girl had hated her for three years, she wouldn't have even been able to apologize, let alone acknowledge the fact that she used to hate her.

"Oh, um, fine," She stuttered feebly, still a little reluctant to be polite, but knew inside that he was definitely winning her over.

"You know, you're an amazing person, Lily. You just never act like yourself around, let's say, certain people. It's a problem, for sure." He informed her seriously.

This was even more surprising to Lily

"You always have a way to tip me off my feet, you know, James?" she said grinning. "I just don't hate you because of it anymore."

"Thank you, I guess," he grinned back. "Just so you know, that was you're true self talking."

"Thank you, I guess," she retorted. Both burst out laughing as they walked onto the pitch. "I'm just really astonished how much I _like_ you so suddenly. You know what I mean? I mean, what you said yourself was true: you were an arse. But now you are an undeniably funny guy. I'm a little bit left reeling at how fast you changed."

The air, turning cool this time of year, was crisp and mind clearing to breathe.

"Well, I've always known you were a good person. If Dumbledore trusts you, so do I. Do you want to know the real reason I started behaving?"

Startled, Lily nodded.

"Well, at yesterday's owls, I got a letter from my old man. My mother's sister and her husband died the night before last, all because he was a Muggle. My mum went to their house to find the Dark Mark floating over it. Let's just say, that affected me a lot. I though, that could have been anyone, and decided to try and get over petty little fights like ours."

Lily glanced over at him and saw he was frowning and squinting hard. Perhaps – perhaps – trying not to cry. She found herself hugging him tightly.

"I'm so sorry, James."

"Pfff, it's not like it's your fault! Besides, I should be the one hugging and comforting _you_. You're the one with Muggle blood."

Lily gasped.

They reached the end of the pitch and James unlocked the changing room doors.

"Merlin, you're right! Holy crap! Do you think anything will happen to me? Or Mum and Dad?"

James, true to his word, turned back and embraced her.

"Don't worry, Lily. Nothing's going to happen to you here. Not whilst Dumbledore's around, it's not."

Lily, her head against James' chest, couldn't help worrying. It was in her nature.

"We'd better start cleaning," she mumbled.

"Right," he said, letting her go, and to her astonishment, blushing. She grabbed a broom from the cupboard and started it sweeping with a simple charm.

"You're pretty talented in Charms, aren't you?" he asked as he cleared the dust from the lockers magically. "It took me days to get this one down."

"I enjoy them, yeah," she smiled modestly. He smirked and looked at her incredulously.

"Anyone else in you position would have said something like, 'Oh, yeah, it took _me_ ten minutes,' not 'yeah, I _enjoy_ it!'"

She shook her head. "Wow," she joked. "I thought you were better, but you obviously still have head-size issues."

He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Brilliant comeback!" She complimented.

"Shut up!"

Once they were done, James looked at his watch again.

"4:00! Quidditch tryouts time!" He sighed. "This should be fun. Watching a lot of absolutely horrid Quidditch players flail about on broomsticks." Sighing resignedly, he opened the door and started trudging towards the middle of the pitch. "See you later, Evans!"

"Wait, James!" She hurried up to him. "Can I come watch?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Better than Defense diagrams."

"You mean you don't love Defense diagrams?" He made a mock surprise face. "And here I was thinking you were a homework addict!"

"Oh, shut up!" She growled.

He grinned, and she smiled, suddenly shy, back into his laughing hazel eyes.

Then tripped over a bleacher and sprawled on the ground. James started laughing hysterically.

"Ow! That hurt! Don't laugh at me," she cried indignantly. James didn't reply, as he was doubled over, shoulders shaking.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! Don't help me up then." She stood up, and then dusted herself off carefully.

She turned to James. He was emitting small squeaking noises and sinking to the ground slowly.

"Oh Merlin! It wasn't _that_ funny, you wanker!"

"Y-yes it w-was!" He gasped between shouts of laughter. "Y-you walked s-s-straight into some bleachers that w-were r-right in f-f-front of you!"

"Oh, give me a break! They weren't that apparent, obviously, seeing as I bumped into them."

"Bumped? I'd say more like _collided_!"

"Oh, whatever!" Lily pushed James into the bleachers and marched off towards the middle of the Quidditch pitch once again. She could see some Gryffindor's trailing this way already.

"We're missing both Beaters, the Seeker and the Keeper this year," James said when he caught up. "I'm a bit worried about the Seeker. Last time we got a right load of lollypops. So far the prospects don't look any better," he commented, glaring at the small crowd sitting on the bleachers.

"Oh, come one, you don't even know half of them!" Lily reprimanded. "Give them a chance!"

"I will, I will." He grumbled.

"Where is the rest of the team?" Lily questioned. "I thought that usually whoever is still on the team came to tryouts."

"Yeah, that would be Sirius and Gideon." He told her. "Sirius is too lazy and Gideon couldn't make it."

He asked all the Beater candidates to come up first.

"Alright, into pairs, all of you." Once everyone was on their brooms, he called them up pair by pair to see how well they handled a Bludger. Lily was very nearly hit by the insane balls many times, one Bludger even setting her ponytail swinging when it whistled past by her ear.

When James landed beside her, he raised his eyebrows.

"That was surprisingly easy!" He said happily, motioning at a pair of third year boys who were placing their bats in the box.

"See, they're not all that bad," Lily pointed out.

"No, I suppose not," he admitted reluctantly.

The Keepers, however, were worse. James himself threw the Quaffle at them to test their skills, which were abysmal. It took James a while to pick out a tall fourth year girl. When he joined Lily again, his expression made her laugh. He only frowned harder.

The miserable Quidditch players seemed to reach their climax during the Seeker tryouts.

"Is that all of you?" James shouted desperately once everyone had had a dismal go. Then, to Lily's surprise, a boy stepped forward holding a broom.

"No, I haven't gone yet," said Fabian Prewett.

"Fab?" James asked.

The younger boy nodded.

"Right… mount your broom then." James let the Golden Snitch out of its case, then gave Fabian the signal.

Fabian shot up into the air, pressed to his broom in pursuit of the tiny, winged ball. It was getting rather dark and Lily had to squint to see his black-robed figure. Very soon, Fab came speeding down and executed a smooth landing at James' feet. He opened his palm to reveal a twitching Snitch to the speechless James.

"Very good, Fab!" Lily congratulated, walking over. "Brilliant! I do believe you've won."

James recovered and slapped Fab on the back. "Absolutely, old bean, absolutely!" He motioned everyone closer. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to proclaim Nicolas Tucker and Samuel Mitchell as our new Beaters, Cassandra Wynne as Keeper and, of course, Fabian Prewett as the new Seeker!"

As the two Heads walked through the castle towards their Common Room once again, James mentioned to Lily as if it was completely normal, "So if you could tell everyone to meet in that corridor with the drunk suit of armour tomorrow night, that'd be great. I just remembered I got to go see Professor Sinistra about an issue we had in class today."

He winked at her and veered off to the right, towards the Astronomy tower.

He left her very puzzled. First, there was the strange request of the meeting tomorrow night, but that cleared out of her mind quite quickly. The main issue was, well, _him_. Lily couldn't deny that the two of them felt like friends, but also couldn't forget that they most definitely hadn't been. She hadn't even thought of him as a person before the day before.

_To tell the truth,_ she thought, _this is happening all rather suddenly_. She was already thinking of him as a best friend, and she had just stopped loathing him. _Perhaps he's right. Fight's like ours are absolutely stupid compared to the Voldemort War. In fact, he is_ absolutely _right._

Now she could barely remember why she had detested him, either. It was true he had had an amazingly swollen ego, and probably still did. She has just never given him a chance before, what with him hexing every person who crossed his path except his friends 'as a joke', and then there was the whole asking-out issue. At the beginning of third year, he had begun asking her on dates practically every night. She, of course, had said no. But he had kept asking, and soon she was absolutely exhausted of him.

However, his new, improved side was now showing, and she definitely liked it better. She hadn't seen him do his beginning-of-the-year-Slytherin-ambush, which he had almost always managed to accomplish in her presence in the past.

_Time to start out on a new foot,_ she decided. And so she did.

* * *

_A/N: . It isn't until Chapter 7 that it is actually recent writing, so if you want some really stellar stuff, wait until then. Okay, so it's not that good, but way, way better than this crap ;). Sorry. I just am not the biggest fan of this chapter! (Except for the "Sirius-bashing day" part. He definitely needs one of those to take his ego down every once in a while :D. And I actually wrote that part right now ;)). _  
_... I think it's funny how it says that Estrella doesn't like sharing... haha. She's not very generous, and that is only one aspect of her that is not very good... she has lots more, one very big one (she completely sucks at forgiving people for anything... she is pretty much incapable of it)... But they're not really in this story... Maybe I'll make a sequel about her, but it'd be reeeally sad. Like, tearjerking sad. And very dramatic. Hmmm sounds good!  
Poor Jamesie. Two hugs from Lily Evans within five minutes and he can't do anything else! No wonder he was blushing. He's still in love with her, of course... what guy in his position wouldn't be_


	5. Chapter 5: Narcissa Black

_Scheduled Post: 15 December 2006  
Actual Post: 14 December 2006  
_

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_A/N: A lot happens in this chapter. It used to be called "A Trip to Hogsmeade", but I had to change it because that is only a little bit. Yeah, Narcissa only has a little bit in this chapter, but it does reveal three things about her... harharhar.  
Sorry for all the weird alerts that you guys must have been getting... first with Chapter 16, then with Chapter 15, then with Chapter 16 again... and now for Chapter 5... you guys must be all confusositied... sorry!  
_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling._

* * *

**-Chapter 5-**  
_Narcissa Black_

During the next month, Lily became better friends with both James Potter and Narcissa Black.

Narcissa was amazingly shy, but Lily found out why. A Slytherin gang, which consisted of Bellatrix –Narcissa's sister–, Regulus –Sirius' brother–, and many more stuck up, 'pureblood', idiots, used to be Cissy's only company.

Spending just a few hours with them would probably cause even Emmeline and Remus to retreat into a shell.

With James, Lily had discovered a valuable fact: she and Sirius were the only people he listened to properly. The two chosen ones had discussed how to use this considerable power in it's greatest element at length.

She always found it great fun to tell James to shut up during an enthusiastic Quidditch monologue, and to have him actually shut up.

She had soon gotten over her fear of him returning to his old behaviour of randomly cursing people who he disagreed with even slightly. In fact, the only time she has seen him perform any kind of offensive spell was during class on the professor's instruction.

All in all, her new friendships were good things.

One thing that did not change was her studying habits. She finished all her homework on time, strived for praise from professors and ensured that all her friends (erhem - James - erhem - Sirius - erhem) completed assignments as well.

-OOO-

One night on the eve of October, Lily was stuck on a rather thorny Potions essay. She trudged off to the library to fix it. Immediately going to the Disease section, she looked up 'Global Magical Fungus' in the Cures chapter in _Liquid Cures for Plant Diseases_ from the _Liquid Cures_ series. Once finished, she got up to leave.

"Lily!" Narcissa was sitting at the back of the library, waving.

The librarian, Madam Delaney, glanced over and them and made a shushing noise. Once her back was turned, Narcissa gave the old woman a horrid face. Under Lily and her friends' eyes she was coming into her own spectacularly.

"You finish that Potions essay?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, just. You?" Narcissa patted the chair beside her.

"Same. Want me to read yours over?" Lily offered.

"Uh, sure," Narcissa replied, sliding the thick roll of parchment over.

"Wow, this is much better than mine!" Lily exclaimed once done. "It's got a whole comparative element that I completely overlooked! Sluggy will _love_ this."

"That's what I try for," Narcissa shrugged modestly.

"You're really very brilliant. You know that?" Lily asked, hugging the smaller girl impulsively.

"Thank you, Lily. You are, too…" The smaller girl blushed, and looked away.

Lily replaced _Liquid Cures for Plant Diseases_ on the shelf, then returned to Narcissa's table.

"I'm ahead a year, you know?" Narcissa mumbled quietly, small hands fumbling with each other in her lap.

"Ahead a year?" Lily gaped. "In Hogwarts? But… that's _really_ rare. Like, only ever happened twice before."

"Yeah, I skipped second year."

"That's amazing, Cissa! Wait'll everyone hears about this! Oh, but you won't be there," Lily said, frowning at the younger girl.

Narcissa shook her head. "I'm busy, with stuff, you know?" She excused herself.

"Oh, Narcissa, why are you so afraid to turn up and spend time with us at night in the Room of Requirement?"

The Room was a handy place that turned into whatever you required it to be when you passed the door. It was what James had been talking about the night after Quidditch tryouts. It was a great place for students from different houses to get together, and almost no one knew about it.

"You know I'm shy, Lily. Especially of guys."

"Well, you're coming to James' birthday party in a few weeks, no matter what! But I understand what you mean about guys. They're so hard to understand."

Narcissa turned to face Lily fully. "Why don't you have a boyfriend, Lily? You aren't shy."

"Oh, I'm too busy. Much too busy. Besides, I haven't got much too choose from, have I? All the good ones are already taken!" Both girls laughed. Lily had used to go out on dates, but had never felt really strongly for someone, so stopped.

"What about you, Narcissa? Why haven't you got a boy?"

"Oh, I've never had a boyfriend," Narcissa admitted, looking ashamed.

"What? Why not? It's an essential part in a girl's life!"

"Yeah, I just… can't have one. Because of… reasons, you know?"

The girl was wringing her hands. Lily could tell something was very wrong.

"No, I don't know. You fancy someone, don't you?"

Narcissa shook her head forcefully. "No, Lily, no."

"Oh, come on, Narcissa. I can see it in your eyes."

Narcissa grinned, but was still silent.

"Is he really that bad?"

"No, there's just something else." Narcissa looked around the library to make sure no one was listening in. "But-"

"What?" Lily cried.

Narcissa shook her head animatedly again.

"What's wrong, then? I'm sure whoever it is would like you, too, you know? Or he would… if you wanted him to. If you got to know him."

A small boy poked his head around some shelves, but soon fled from Lily's intense glare.

"I-I'm engaged, Lily. To Lucius Malfoy."

Cissy watched Lily's silent face. "It's a contract my parents made with his when he was born. I– there's nothing I can do to get out of it."

Even Lily's complex, quick mind saw no way to escape either. Birth contracts were harsh in punishment, especially ones about marriage.

Lucius Malfoy was a fifth year Slytherin, part of Bellatrix and Regulus' gang.

"Oh, no, Narcissa. That's awful." The younger girl began to cry. Lily squeezed her in a quick hug. "Let's get out of the library." Lily suggested, looking over at Madam Delaney, who was sending them a death glare.

Despite Lily's encouraging, Cissy still refused to come to the Room of Requirement with her so she took her to the Slytherin Common Room instead.

-OOO-

Two days later, James told Lily one night whilst doing Head duties that Dumbledore wanted them to bring Emmeline, Alice, Estrella, Sirius and Remus up to his office the next night.

_Something to do with the Order, _Lily assumed. Those were the five she and James had written down in McGonagall's class that day.

With no explanation, the two Heads gathered those friends up the next evening and marched them towards the hallway with the grumpy gargoyle.

"Drooble's Best Bubble-Blowing Gum," James announced imperiously, and, for the second time that year, the grey, scowling, stone monster jumped to one side to reveal the revolving stairway.

Their five friends exchanged glances, but knew not to question. Once before the big wooden door, James motioned everyone to be quiet.

"…aware of the risks this task contains, Albus," Lily heard Professor Maxilla McGonagall (or Maxy, as she was known as) say indignantly.

"Very well, Maxilla. There seems to be nothing else I must converse with you about," came Dumbledore's voice through the door. "I must get onto my next appointment."

The door opened suddenly to reveal Dumbledore sitting at his desk, with a patient look on his face, and Maxy, gathering up her robes in preparation to bustle out of the office.

"Oh!" she said, surprised to see Lily and her friends standing at the top of the staircase.

"Hello, Professor's," Lily offered weakly.

The black-haired witch squinted a reprimand at her, then hurried past them down the stairs.

Emmeline and Estrella looked at each other and giggled. Both the McGonagall twins were known as being upright, stern women. They were also known as Maxy and Minnie. They could have been stunningly beautiful if they tried, but they most definitely didn't, keeping their hair pulled tight against their scalp in a bun, their lips permanently pursed and their brows bunched tightly in a frown.

"There you are, children," Dumbledore motioned them forward. "Thank you, Lily and James. Very obliged."

All seven of them sat down on appearing chairs; evidently, all of them had been to the Headmaster's office on some occasion or the other before.

"Now, we haven't got much time, as I am sure the other Professor McGonagall will come storming up the stairway, demanding to know why I sent her sister on such a dangerous mission. I'll have to tell her, of course, that _I_ was the one being ordered about. Indeed, I strived to get the idea out of her head"

Tonight, Dumbledore was clad in rusty red robes and a long, drooping, matching pointed hat.

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, but where was she going?" James asked the question on everyone's mind.

"All in good time, Mr. Potter. First we must explain to your puzzled friends why they are here…." Lily spaced out as Dumbledore said to Remus, Sirius, Estrella, Emmeline and Alice almost exactly what he had informed Lily and James of at the beginning of the year.

She noticed with some curiousity that Phineas Nigellus' portrait was empty, and, after close examination, she concluded he was in none of the other paintings. She had heard of a spell called the Transportrait Charm in which a deceased individual who resided in a painting could move from one charmed portrait to another in a different location altogether.

"Now, if you're listening, Lily?" Dumbledore wanted to know, eyes sparkling.

"Oh, yes, sorry sir," Lily hurriedly faced the old Headmaster.

"As James asked about earlier, Maxilla McGonagall had left on a fairly important, _dangerous_ journey." The Professor continued. "I don't know if anyone's told you anything, but Voldemort's keeping a rather lot of Muggles captive in his dead father's mansion in a village named Little Hangleton.

"In short, Professor McGonagall has gone to rescue them. I'm sure you all understand how extremely courageous and impossibly hazardous this is. As well as Death Eaters, Dementors guard the house. All I could do was wish her the best of luck." Dumbledore looked over at a portrait hanging over a wardrobe. "Their grandmother," he informed them, indicated the snoozing, grey-haired woman with oval glasses the portrait contained. He shook his head and sighed.

"Now, Mr Black, Mr Lupin, Miss Bones, Miss Vance, Miss Rubia, please excuse the three of us. I would like to talk to James and Lily privately."

When their friends were gone and the doors had been closed, Dumbledore began talking once more. "I see that the two of you are, shall we say, getting along better."

Both Lily and James nodded.

"Wonderful." He beamed at them. "I am uncontrollably delighted that my pick of Head Boy and Girl was not a complete failure."

-OOO-

The next day, Alice, Estrella, nor Emmeline said anything about the Order, but Alice kept winking at her and raising her eyebrows.

-OOO-

The first Hogsmeade weekend was ten days later. The Friday before, Charms was Lily's last class.

She was sorting out her book bag at a table near the back, when Alice came running through the door and sat down on a stack of parchment Lily had just carefully placed on a chair. Lily, not in the best of moods, glared at her evilly.

"Oh, whoops!" Alice said excitedly. "You'll never guess what happened to me, Lils!"

"You got a lorry full of Galleons? You overdosed on Cheering Charms? No, I never will. Tell me," Lily replied impatiently. She couldn't wait for the week to be over.

"Frank asked me to Hogsmeade! And I said yes!"

Lily realized how selfish she was being.

"Ali! That's great!" Lily hugged her best friend.

"I hope it goes well," Alice said with anticipation.

"It will! You fancy him, and he's devastatingly in love with you. You'll have a blast!"

Lily was very pleased for Alice, but she couldn't help feeling a little envious of her date. Lily wished there was a guy that fancied her as much as Frank fancied Alice.

-OOO-

On Saturday, Lily set off towards the small town of Hogsmeade with Emmeline, Estrella, James, Remus, Giddy, Fab, Pettigrew, Sirius, and Anis Patil, Sirius' new girlfriend. The ten of them discussed which shop to go to first.

"I say Zonko's Joke Shop!" cried Sirius, who was practically ignoring Anis, and Lily felt rather sorry for her.

"I've got to go to Fervish and Blott's," Emmeline put in.

"Honeyduke's should be our first stop!" Giddy declared.

"Would all of you be _quiet_?" James said over everyone and his aunt trying to put in their opinion. "Why don't we ask the cleverest, most beautiful member of our group?" He continued once everyone had shut up. "Lily? What do you think?"

"Oh, I'm beautiful _now_, am I?" she said, laughing a little in spite of herself. "Very well. I suppose the most sensible decision is to stop off at the Three Broomsticks, then separate whichever way we fancy."

The Marauders applauded. "Well done, _well done_!" They congratulated heartily.

"I do my best," she curtsied.

Laughing, the ten turned left towards the pub open to underage witches and wizards.

"So." Estrella said inside the Three Broomsticks. "How do you suppose Alice and Frank are getting on?"

Emmeline and Lily were the only ones paying any attention to her.

"I'm sure their lips are getting along fantastically," Emmeline commented.

Lily and Estrella laughed.

"You know," Lily mused. "You're probably right!"

"Uh-oh," Estrella whispered, motioning across the table. Anis and Sirius were in the middle of a heated conversation. Or, half was heated, anyway.

"Aren't you going to pay _any_ attention to me at all, then, or are you just going to blabber away about that dreadful sport all day?" Anis demanded angrily from her standing position near Sirius' chair.

"No, and yes. Why?" Sirius asked in a bored voice.

"Why? _Why?_" The sixth year was shrieking a bit now. Lily felt embarrassed for her. "Last night you told me you never fancied anyone more!"

Sirius blinked innocently up at her. "_That_ was because I wanted a snog, my dear," he replied plausibly, popping a chip into his mouth. "Or didn't you realize?"

There were tears shining in Anis's eyes. "You…you…!" The Indian girl stormed out of the pub, dropping her Butterbeer mug on the way.

Sirius went on gulping down chips unconcernedly.

"What a prat!" Emmeline chastised. "Doesn't he know how much they love him?"

Lily shook her head. "Probably. He just doesn't care. Problem is, he's such a good friend and a nice guy."

"I guess the question is, don't _they_ know how much he doesn't love them?" Emmeline amended.

They looked at Estrella for her contribution, but the blonde girl was only staring at Sirius. Lily and Emmeline exchanged scared looks. Lily quickly shook her head, and Emmeline immediately nodded in agreement.

There was _no way_ Estrella could… well, _fancy_… It just… it wasn't right – it would defeat her entire purpose: to destroy each and every boy's heart in the school.

-OOO-

Lily had almost forgotten that the date was October 12 until that evening – it was James' eighteenth birthday!

She had gotten him a present a while ago: a Famous Quidditch Players Biography Collection. After gathering it, she made off for the Room of Requirement.

Narcissa was waiting at the suit of armour, as Lily had asked her to be.

"You," Lily said, "are coming to James' birthday." As the other girl hesitated, Lily pulled her towards a blue door further down the hallway. "James _insisted_. It doesn't matter who's there, Narcissa." Lily knew she was nervous of going into the party when no one she really knew was there.

Lily paced up and down outside the door, dragging Narcissa and thinking _James' birthday party_ hard, over and over again. After a few dozen times, she tried the knob and it opened to reveal a large, dim room filled with laughing, dancing people. As well as his nine close friends, James invited almost all of the seventh year – excluding most of Slytherin. Lily shook her head in despair – together, James and Sirius had convinced Lily to let them have this party – although it was strictly against her principles!

"Lily! Hey, Narcissa!" Alice, clutching Frank's hand, screamed excitedly over the rather loud music. Evidently the date had gone well, as the gangly boy was staring down at Alice admiringly.

Narcissa was looking panicky. As Frank and Alice disappeared into the crowd once again, pure fear registered on her face.

Curious, Lily turned to look in the same direction, but all she saw was Sirius dancing with a short black girl.

"Sirius!" she called to him. Because of Narcissa's reluctance to hang out with Lily and her friends, the latter had never mentioned her friendship with Cissy to Sirius. Without a word or thought, he left the girl to talk to Lily, making her feel a bit mean.

"Lils!" He said enthusiastically. "Just get here?" He was breathing hard and his dark bangs hung over his eyes.

"Yeah," Lily agreed, pushing a strangely reluctant Narcissa forward. "I guess you've probably already met–"

"_Narcissa?_" Sirius exploded. "What the bloody hell are you doing here? Go back to you're cozy little dungeon Slytherin Common Room to hang out with your gang of life-sucking bats! Don't even try to not be one of them!"

Shocked, Lily put a hand out. "Sirius! _Sirius!_" she shouted.

He was silent, glaring at Narcissa, who was shrinking behind Lily.

"She's not bad," Lily had to say right against Sirius' ear so he could hear. "Trust me! I know she seems to stand for everything you're against, but she's more like you than them!"

"Then why is she in Slytherin?" His eyes were cold and calculating.

"Because I wanted to be," Narcissa spoke up to Lily and Sirius' surprise. "You know what happened when you got sorted into Gryffindor, how crazy our family went. Do you think I wanted that to happen to me? I'm not that brave."

Oddly, what she said seemed to affect the tall, handsome boy. Lily knew Sirius was insensitive and hard to reach, but mention of his family always got a reaction, which was usually listening. The young wizard had run away from his family's mansion the year before last year and was now living with James and his parents, who had accepted him as a second son.

"Why is she here?" He asked Lily calmly, raising his eyebrows.

"She's my friend, you duffer. Now go back and dance."

"Only if it's with you," Sirius, suddenly happy again, grinned. Patting Cissy on the arm, Lily turned and obliged, much to the disappointment of many females in the room.

They joined the throng of happy, dancing people. Lily stiffly bobbed her head to the fast moving music, until Sirius took her hands and began swinging them up and down in a way that couldn't help but make her laugh.

She couldn't help but think that Sirius was _stunning_, definitely the best-looking guy she'd ever known. His blue eyes flashed merrily at her, and he placed his hands on her waist.

"Where did this music come from?" she cried at him.

"Remus jinxed a record player to work!" He explained. Lost in the music and his eyes, she moved closer to him. She spotted James, sipping from a plastic cup, across the room and suddenly she knew that all she felt for Sirius was physical, nothing more except friendship. She would never become another one of his crash-and-burns. The song ended and Sirius relinquished his hold round her middle.

"Want a drink?" he asked as the next song started up. Lily nodded and Sirius took off through the crowd.

She searched the people in front of her for Cissy, hoping she hadn't run for it already. Then, to her amazement, she saw her dancing – with James! There was a strange twinge she couldn't identify in her stomach as she looked at them.

* * *

_A/N: Sooo, did you catch the thing that is important to their future? (Hint: It has to do with the title of the story (durh!)). I bet the storyline is completely transparent now... sigh. I also gave a sombre hint in the first bit of this chapter... (aaagh! I'm giving it all away! Nooo, stoooppp! ... I just can't... I'm sorry.) Yeah, I was just talking to myself. Please ignore that. Sooo it is going to take 5 reviews for me to post Chapter 6. I already have 3, so only two more... if you do not manage that by next Saturday (23 December - yes by next I mean next! Sorry!), then that is when it will be up... hopefully see you before then!_

_Preview: A surprise request of Lily by Sirius... a bunch of dresses... a part that was fun to write with those evil ol' Slytherinos... and that's about it. Oh! Oooh... Nope, I got excited for nothing... no dancing in the next chapter, sorry guys.  
_


	6. Chapter 6: The Halloween Ball

_Scheduled Post: 23 December 2006  
Actual Post: 17 December 2006  
_

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_A/N: So we got a bunch of reviews... six, maybe? Anyways, I have given up on answering them, like, here, cuz... it takes up soo much space... except for the anonymous ones that do not leave an email... those I will reply to in my A/N. The rest will get personal reviews...:D  
Sooo... what to say about this chapter: more of James' birthday par-tay... bit of a breather, then the Halloween Ball (Oh my God, no way! Yeah, the chapter's name is only "the Halloween Ball"!) (Yep. That was me talking to myself again... just ignore it). Then what... oh, yeah, the Slytherins. Fun to write, they are._

_**DracoMalfoy8**: Thanks so much for a) your enthusiasm and b) your reviewing twice :D Please return._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling.  
_

* * *

**-Chapter 6-**  
_The Halloween Ball_

"Lily," a voice said close to her ear. Remus was standing beside her with two Butterbeers. "Sirius sends his apologies. He found someone to snog, I suppose."

"Like I mind. I like you better anyway," she smiled. Remus grinned back and motioned to some convenient chairs.

Once sitting, Remus commented, "I couldn't help but notice Sirius' strange greeting to that other girl you brought in. Who was she?"

"Narcissa Black, his cousin. He doesn't know her very well, but we soon sorted that." She took a sip of her drink.

"I also noticed how well you were getting on whilst dancing. Something you want to share with me?"

"No. Why, should there be?" Lily raised her eyebrow. She knew exactly what Remus meant, but wasn't' going to give him anything until he asked her straight.

"You're not going to fall for Sirius, are you, Lils?" Remus asked her straight.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid. Moony?" She replied, using the nickname known only by Remus' closest friends. "Of course I'm not. I actually considered it, whilst on the dance floor, you know? But I'm just too smart."

"Good. I would hate to have to beat him when he dumps you."

"Funny how you take it for granted he would dump me," Lily accused.

"Hey, I just took his past relationships into account."

"I know, I was only taking the mickey." She took another sip of juice. "I wonder if there's anyone in the world who would be able to hold Sirius down," she pondered.

"You know," Remus replied. " I think there is."

"Seriously?"

"Siriusly seriously."

"_Who?_"

"Who else? Estrella, of course! She would never fall for his looks; she'd go for what's inside. And with someone like her, who could have every other guy as well, he would, too."

As Lily realized this was true, James wandered by, clutching his cup rather tightly.

"Happy birthday!" Lily called. When he was closer, she stood up and tilted her head to kiss him on the cheek, which was very hot. "Something wrong?"

He shook his head. "Just a bit overwhelming, I suppose. It's really hot in here, and, er, someone just came onto me in a major way. I just kind of, ran away."

"Who was it?" Lily laughed. All of a sudden it occurred to her that it could have been Narcissa.

"I think it was Anis Patil, the girl Sirius ditched earlier. She's a fast mover," he said, looking a bit scared.

"Poor Jamesie," came Sirius' voice from behind them. "We'll protect you." He winked at Lily, reminding her of James, who always seemed to grin and wink at her. "In fact, little Prongsie Wongsie, you better move fast. Looks like Anis the Man Killer is heading straight over at top speed."

Following Sirius' advice, James scurried away quickly, looking as if her wanted to duck under a table. When Anis saw only Lily, Remus and Sirius by the chairs, she swerved speedily to the left into a table and pretended that was where she was planning on ending up in the first place.

"Have you seen Narcissa?" Lily asked Sirius.

His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Over by the drinks table just now," he told her, seemingly reluctantly.

"Thanks, Sirius," she smiled sincerely. "I'm afraid she's going to run off. She hasn't got the greatest social group, and you certainly aren't helping. I'm going to go see if she wants anything." She rose, ignoring Sirius, who was asking what she meant by he wasn't helping.

Remus put a hand on her arm. He was already standing. "I'll go, Lils. I kind of want to talk to her anyway."

Lily raised her eyebrow, but sat down again. Sirius quickly took Remus' chair as soon as the quiet boy was gone.

"Sorry for leaving you hanging earlier. You see, I met this girl, and she was very nice. I just couldn't leave-"

"I understand, Padfoot. A quick handy snog. Who would pass on their own free will?"

They laughed together, but then Sirius corrected her: "Remus - he would pass. He's a eunuch, I swear. Never had a girlfriend."

"Hey, he's far more intellectual than any of us – who are we to judge him?"

"My only concern is: what's he going to do about the Halloween Ball? He's never going to get a date!"

"I'm sure he'll find someone. He's quite attractive, really. Just a bit pale."

"Yes, I suppose there are some fairly desperate females out there," Sirius commented, glancing meaningly at Anis Patil, who was now looking at them frequently, obviously waiting for James' to return.

"He could just go stag, and dance with all of your dates."

"_All_? None of us have gotten one yet! Which brings to mind, Lily, will you come to the ball with me?"

Lily had to admit this question left her feeling rather startled, and Sirius quickly explained.

"As a friend, of course! I just don't feel like having any uncomfortable commitments at the ball. Taking a friend is a logical explanation: you won't complain if I dance with anyone else (or snog her). Of course, you are just about as far from ill-looking as it gets as well. We wouldn't look half-bad together."

This made Lily smile wryly. "I'll take that as a compliment, and I accept." She hadn't been asked by anyone so far, and going with Sirius would be a lot more relaxing than with a boy she hardly knew, and probably wouldn't like anyway.

"Brilliant!" Sirius positively beamed at her.

_I'm very glad that I am friends with the Marauders,_ Lily mused silently. _First there's Sirius, who is handsome and popular, but humourous and kind as well._ He was definitely the most wild in their little group.

_Remus, however, was the level-head_. _He was insightful, deep and intelligent._ She knew that if there was anything she herself hadn't memorized or knew he would be the one to go to.

_But James,_ Lily concluded to herself, _is the boy I am most delighted to be with._ He was generous, friendly, smart, and, if nothing else, made her laugh. Lately, Lily couldn't help but notice his looks as well. She had always known he was handsome – indeed, how could she avoid it when for every two girls salivating at Sirius' feet there was one for James as well?

But sometimes, when he looked straight into her eyes, or when walking side by side, their hands brushed, a spark passed from one to the other, one that made Lily feel excited and blush.

She had practically forgotten about their three-year argument – indeed, she was ultimately pleased that she had given him the time to prove his smallness of ego to her. She couldn't imagine how different her life would be if she still ignored him and scorned him at every turn.

Truth be told, she would rather be going to the ball with James, but realized how uncomfortable the night would be. Neither of them would dance with anyone else besides friends, and both of them would know the arrangement was platonic. Lily couldn't imagine how they would communicate afterwards: awkwardly, no doubt. Besides, who even knew if he would have said 'yes'? Most likely he held no un_friend_ly feelings for her. Even _her_ feelings were nothing but the remotest of ideas, the faintest of sparks.

_Everyone will be better off,_ Lily decided, _if I go to the ball with Sirius._

-OOO-

To no one's surprise, the Halloween Ball was the subject at breakfast the next morning.

It turned out that James' birthday the night before had sorted out all of the group's partner problems. Lily was quite surprised when she heard the couples, and couldn't help but wonder who had asked who.

Frank Longbottom had asked Alice of course, and Gideon was going with a Ravenclaw, Heather Flinch-Fletchy, but Emmeline had paired with Remus, and – this one took Lily aback the most – Estrella with James. On the latter couple, Lily couldn't help but believe that Estrella had asked Prongs this time. The blonde girl just seemed more forward in that matter than the tall, easy-going Marauder.

Lily was quite embarrassed when Estrella asked Sirius interestedly whom he was going with.

"What?" he asked, stuffing three or four boiled eggs down his throat. He was always eating, it seemed. "Oh, yeah. Lils. She said yes last night," and turned back to his plate.

Emmeline, Estrella, and Alice had looked at Lily questioningly, and then the four of them had burst out laughing.

-OOO-

Funnily enough, Lily, Emmeline, and Estrella (and probably Gideon) and their ball partners all had merely a _friend's_ agreement. Because of this, Alice was the only one seriously fretting about how she looked the night of the ball.

"I just know he's wondering at this very moment, 'Why on earth did I ask that awful girl to the ball?'" The curly-haired girl wailed as Estrella artfully dabbed sprinkles on her distraught friend's cheeks.

Emmeline was the only one with enough patience to reassure her yet again at this point. Of course, this only kept her quiet for about ten seconds, when Alice would let out another lament.

Estrella kept pressing her finger to her temple, meanwhile skillfully applying make-up to all the four's faces.

About an hour or so before, Lily had announced, "Well, I'm ready to go!" And her three friends had stared at her with varying expressions of shock on their faces.

"Are you insane?" Estrella had cried.

"What about make-up and hair, and – and _everything_?" Alice had wanted to know.

This had left Lily nearly speechless.

"Well, I brushed my hair, and put on some lip gloss and mascara." She had told them. That was what she always did before at the previous Hogwarts balls, of which there are three a year.

In response, her friends pounced on her and started attacking her with eyeliner and blush and lipstick.

-OOO-

Finally, Alive was as content as possible about her appearance. The four girls left their dorm together to meet their dates outside the portrait hole.

Lily remembered when she was younger, before she had known about Hogwarts, and the older Muggle boys would just wear jeans and maybe a button-up shirt to a school dance. However, the magical community had many customs, one of which, to many wizards' disgust, was dress robes.

Because of this, Sirius, who was, he himself admitted, rather vain, was wearing a Muggle-inspired version of dress robes, with a crisp white collar, white tie, and a long, ironed black robe, which showed his white dress shirt underneath. James' was more traditional: manufactured out of thin velvet, they had a small white bow tie type accoutrement at the neck. Remus and Frank were both adorned in similar robes, with ties.

Alice, this being an important night for her, entered the common room first, and Lily could tell _all_ of the males in the vicinity were impressed. Her outfit was rosy pink, strapless, and gauzy with a piecey, layered skirt trimmed with shiny pink ribbon, and matching ribbon tied low around the waist. On her feet was a pair of tall, strappy heels, which were a bit out of character for the usually more traditional girl. Her hair was charmed into tame waves.

Emmeline's dress was also strapless, but was made of deep scarlet, crisp silk. It was form-fitting to just past her knees, and then flared out in silky scarlet folds to cover her feet. A small clutch purse, matching diamond earrings and necklace, and an intricate, braided hairdo completed her stately presence.

Lily, who was never very good at picking out, criticizing, or wearing dresses, actually rather liked the aqua blue, silky one Estrella had whipped of the rack for her to try on. A single, wide strap over her left shoulder led down to a sort of ruffle-y bit on her front. It clung, making her self-conscious of her curves, down her knees, where the silky fabric went kind of ruffle-y again and split rather high on the left side.

At first, she had been rather unsure of the dress, especially the slit and the smallish train. She hoped that no one would step on it and rip her dress off from the waist down in front of everyone.

Her long red hair, which had settled down quite a lot, and was no longer so flaming, over the past few years, was up in a French twist, with a few choice tendrils of Estrella's pick hanging around her face.

Estrella, as usual, made an entrance with a beautiful, creamy orange sherbet coloured dress, of crinkly, crepe-y material, which had a wrap of the same fabric around the chest and a skirt which flared out from the waist to just past the knees. The underskirts were layered and plentiful, all in vivid scarlet and dramatic black silk, with some black netting in amongst them. Her long, golden hair was in a elegant up-do, with small whisps accidently-on-purpose falling softly to frame her heart-shaped face.

As Lily watched the boys' reactions, she had to stifle laughter. Frank, gazing unwaveringly at Alice, paid no attention, but Pettigrew and most of the other males in the Common Room had their tongues hanging out of their mouths. Giddy had a humourous expression of bedazzlement and perplexity. The penultimate faces were those of James and Remus, both of whom had small, almost angry frowns on their face. It was Sirius that made Lily smile the most: He looked afraid.

She remembered her conversation with Remus about Estrella and Sirius, and knew it was true. Plus, Sirius seemed to be falling for the beautiful girl since the beginning of the year, when his younger cousin Tonks had thought Lily was Estrella. _That must mean he talks about her a lot at home_, Lily thought.

Aware of every eye on her, Estrella crossed the room to link arms with James – who was exchanging an unreadable glance with Remus.

When he realized Lily was waiting patiently beside him, Sirius started, and looked at her carefully.

"I knew you would clean up nice," he teased. "But Siriusly… I like your dress." He smiled genuinely at her.

She was glad she had let her friends make her over a bit.

"Well, let's dance!" she declared.

When they had all trooped down to the Great Hall, they discovered the beloved room looking much larger than usual. In fact, it probably was, due to a tricky charm of some sort from Professor Flitwick.

Estrella, Lily, Alice, Emmeline and Heather Flinch-Fletchy sat at one of the table lining the room as their dates when off for drinks.

"Hey," Narcissa addressed them quietly as she swung down between Lily and Estrella on the bench. Her dress was a creation that would have been too dramatic on anyone else besides the short, black-haired Slytherin. It was made of short, black, gauzy material, and was layered. There was a wrap-around of green with black stripes on the bust, and underneath black gauze fitted her waist then layered down to her lower-thigh. There was a thin black strap around her neck, and a green ribbon underneath the green part.

Lily hadn't talked to the younger girl about Remus or Lucius Malfoy since that day in the library, and Narcissa hadn't mentioned it either.

"Are you with anyone?" Estrella asked.

"Not according to me," she replied, glaring at a tall, regal blonde boy across the room that Lily recognized as Malfoy. Estrella hugged Narcissa sympathetically.

Lily had told her female friends about the engagement. Once Estrella had gotten over her initial protectiveness, she had started getting along famously with Narcissa, and the beautiful girl had even stayed up very late one night in the library researching birth contracts for Narcissa.

Unfortunately, the contract could only be broken if every living witch or wizard that was involved agreed and sealed the agreement with blood. In this case, Narcissa was the only one who wanted out.

"Drinks, ladies!" James announced, placing a glass of punch on the table in front of Estrella before sitting down.

Sirius swung his long leg over the bench between Lily and Emmeline, a drink in his hand as well.

"Hello, cousin," he greeted Narcissa on the other side of Lily.

Narcissa had started hanging out with Lily and her friends after James' party, but she and Sirius never communicated directly.

Narcissa nodded politely.

"Are you two direct cousins?" Remus asked.

"Yes," Sirius nodded, surprising Lily with his willingness to explain. "My father's brother's daughter. Narcissa's elder sister, Andromeda, is thirty-three, and the mother of my little cousin, who you met earlier this year. Her younger sister is Bellatrix, who is rapidly approaching at four o' clock with her little gang of Slytherins."

Everyone spun around at Sirius' words to see a round-faced, tall, black-haired girl flanked by a tall, handsome boy on her right and a smaller, long-nosed boy on the right. Lucius Malfoy was bringing up the rear with a few other Slytherins.

"Hello, Narcissa," said Bellatrix, the girl in the middle, once they had reached Lily's table.

"Oh, Bella! Why did you even come over here?" Narcissa sighed exasperatedly.

"Lucius and I were concerned about the company you're keeping," the fifth year smiled coldly. She ran a hand through her thick, dark, long hair and cast a disdained look around the table.

"It's better than the company she used to keep!" Sirius stood up suddenly, nearly tipping the bench.

"Oh, my dear cousin. I'm delighted to see you too."

"You think you're so clever, don't you? And you!" The angry seventh year pointed at the tall, dark boy on Bellatrix's right. "Regulus."

"Beloved older brother," the boy sneered at Sirius.

"And they call me a blood traitor." Sirius' eyes were cold, as always when talking to or about his family. The way the older boy was standing made his height over Regulus more apparent. His hand was on his wand inside his robes.

Regulus backed up an inch or two. "Cram it, Sirius, or I'll tell Mum and Father!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake. Once a snitch, always a snitch. How about you all just do yourselves a favour and leave before all of us get involved?" Sirius gestured behind him at the crowded table, which outnumbered the small Slytherin pack.

"My dear cousin!" Bellatrix intervened in her cool voice. "Please, calm yourself. Didn't you know, we were just leaving. Come along, Severus, Regulus, Lucius." She swept her long black gown around and beckoned imperiously to her small posse.

To Lily's astonishment and puzzlement, she noticed the smallish, long-nosed boy give James, Remus, then Sirius a stare of deep and utter loathing, then abruptly recognized him as Severus Snape. She hadn't thought of him since the year before, when James has still been completely full of himself, and Snape, or as the Marauders had dubbed him, Snivellus, had been his prime target for jinxes. This year, the seventh year had probably been keeping to himself, hoping James wouldn't change his mind and come searching for a hexing victim once more.

Sirius quickly sat back down and gulped his punch down in one swallow.

"Thank you, Sirius," Narcissa acknowledged stiffly on one side of Lily.

Her cousin snorted, but then nodded kindly. "My pleasure."

The tension around the table eased quite a bit. Gideon surveyed the table-full of empty cups, stood up and offered his hand to Heather Flinch-Fletchy, who looked as if she had had second thoughts about spending time with her date's friends.

"May I have this dance, ma'am?"

The relieved girl quickly nodded and the pair left for the dance floor, which had filled with dancers whilst the Slytherin's had been at their table. A well-known song, frequently played on the Wizarding Wireless Network, was vibrating from nearby charmed speakers.

* * *

_A/N: Humpty-dum. I'm talking to my friend on the phone right now... we are talking about a wierd dream I had... it involves two running shoes the size of cars... (never mind.) :)  
So, what did you think of the chapter? 5 reviews, or until next Saturday! Hope I'll see you soon!  
Preview: Hmmm the next chapter is pretty sweet... purr-itty sweeeet. (That is how (un)cool pronounce pretty. Real cool people pronounce it "purty"). Oooh yeah, it is actually the second part of this once, because this one was like, gazillions of pages long... but it has its own name and everything, so don't freak. A LOT of conversation between J and L, that is pretty much the whole chapter. :)_


	7. Chapter 7: Secrets and a Beating Heart

_Scheduled Post: 30 December 2006  
Actual Post: 23 December 2006_

* * *

_A/N: Ooooh love this chapter! It is purty sweet, purty sweet indeed. You'll see!_

_**DracoMalfoy8**: Yeah... James and Lily getting together, huh? Well... we'll see! ;). Thanks for reviewing again, you should get an account here so I can reply properly!  
_

* * *

**-Chapter 7-**_  
Secrets and a Beating Heart_

"Don't feel obliged to dance with me," Lily told Sirius, only half joking.

"Obliged?" He widened his eyes. "Never!" He got to his feet and bowed, hand extended toward her. "Dance with me?" Lily placed her hand on his.

From the dance floor, she could see some of the teachers dancing together. Professor Minnie, looking quite patient, was deftly avoiding Professor Slughorn's feet as her tried to lead her in the box-step.

Lily couldn't help smile at the sight of girls in beautiful evening or ball gowns and guys wearing fancy dress robes yelling and leaping about like five-year-olds.

"Just what do you find so amusing, Miss Evans?" Sirius shouted, shimmying closer so she could hear him.

"All these people in fancy outfits jumping around!" She yelled back, receiving a laugh in answer.

A few metres away, she spotted James and Estrella dancing, but they were about twice as far away from each other as Lily and Sirius. _Perhaps,_ she realized, _Sirius and I are better friends than those two._

Lily was probably the girl closest to the Marauders, whereas Alice and Emmeline were better friends with Gideon, Fabian and Frank. Their big group could have broken up easily a few years ago, splitting into two: Lily, Estrella, and the Marauders, and Alice, Emmeline, the Prewetts and Frank. Lily was glad that hadn't happened.

The song ended, and Lily fanned herself with her hand. Sirius raised his eyebrows, and she pointed at the drinks table. He nodded and gestured towards the table where Emmeline and Fab were sitting.

At the refreshments, Lily picked up a plastic cup and poured some punch into it. Turning to go back over the room, she glimpsed Narcissa and Remus at the other end of the table.

Remus, who had taken his top robes off to reveal a white dress shirt and an ironed pair of black chinos, had his sleeve rolled up and was showing Cissy something on his lightly tanned arm. Cissy said something that sounded like a protest, but Lily couldn't quite make out. From his body language, it seemed as if Remus was reassuring her. The Slytherin murmured another few sentences, and the tall boy nodded in agreement, rolling his sleeve back down.

Puzzled, but not wanting to intrude on Cissy and Remus, Lily returned to her group's table. The only person left was James.

"Thank Merlin!" He exclaimed, pulling out a chair for her. "I was feeling like a loner."

"Where is everyone?" Lily inquired, taking the seat thankfully.

James gestured out at the floor. "Sirius is dancing with Estrella," he explained. "I'm afraid we're stuck together, as it doesn't appear as if they're going to stop anytime soon."

Indeed, Lily could see her two friends dancing so close it looked as if they were one, rather large, person.

"Oh, well," she said, feeling only the tiniest bit abandoned. "I don't feel like dancing that much anyways."

Near Sirius and Estrella were Frank and Alice who were also impossibly close. Lily remembered her thought before about their group splitting, and realized the probably wasn't close to Alice as she thought.

"Knut for your thoughts?" James questioned, peering at her.

"I was just thinking that Alice probably wasn't my best friend," she laughed, shrugging.

"What? The Inseparable Duo? What did she do to you?" He pretended to be overwhelmingly shocked.

"Nothing, nothing," Lily smiled. "It's just, we've been friends for so long, you know? Our parents were friends before we were born, so we were kind of thrown together."

"Sorry, but, your parents' were friends? Isn't she a pureblood?" He asked curiously.

She could tell that he was actually interested. Even though what they were conversing about wasn't the most out of the ordinary topic ever, she felt happy and warm. _Just because I am talking to James?_ She questioned herself.

"Yeah, but we were neighbours, so I guess they decided to become friends with some Muggles. Then I got accepted into Hogwarts, and Mr. and Mrs. Bones told my parents they were wizards."

"Oh, I see," James nodded.

_He still isn't bored of me,_ Lily realized. _Does he actually want to know my life story?_

"What made you suddenly realize she wasn't your bosom buddy?"

"Well, I was thinking. You know our little group could have split up into two a while ago?" James shook his head, clearly puzzled. She explained what had gone through her head whilst on the dance floor.

"And then that thought led to the fact that you and Alice wouldn't have hung out as much, and you've really got to keep in contact to be a best friend?" he concluded for her.

"Exactly," she said. "You read me so well." She smiled at him.

Slowly, he smiled back. Something glinted in his eyes. Lily's heart pounded, and she leaned closer. The smile disappeared from their faces, and they just stared at each other.

"Phew," sighed Fab, plopping down across the table. "Dancing is on hell of a hard workout!"

Lily and James sprung away from each other, him almost toppling off his chair. Fab glanced between the two curiously.

"Who are you here with, Fab?" Lily asked to cover the silence. She could feel heat rushing to her head, and was certain her face was as red as her hair.

"Cassie Wynne," Fabian blushed.

"The Keeper?" Lily smiled. She has always looked upon Fab as a kind of younger brother, despite the fact that he was only seven months younger than her.

He nodded shyly, and then pointed athwart the room. "She's just over there. I should go."

Once Fab had left, Lily's mind was abruptly brought back to what had happened before he had arrived. She sneaked a peek at the Head Boy next to her. He seemed completely unruffled. _Had James been about to…_

"So who's your best friend then?" He asked, startling Lily.

"Oh," she said quickly, sure the sound of her beating heart could be heard at the drinks table. "Well, Estrella, I suppose. But I must say, you, Remus _and_ Estrella are the farthest up there." She didn't want to risk smiling again, afraid of the outcome.

"I see," he said. Apparently, he had no qualms about grinning brightly at her.

Both turned to face the dance floor again. Estrella and Sirius had hardly moved from the spot Lily had seen them in before, and were, if possible, even closer.

"Er, Evans, I've been meaning to ask you for a bit now…" James muttered.

She raised her eyebrows at him, finding it rather comical that he was actually nervous about something.

"Do you fancy Padfoot?" He blurted out.

Lily burst out laughing.

"What?" he asked, rather defensively. "I wasn't aware that was a funny question."

"No, no, It's just, Remus asked me the same thing at your party."

"Oh!" He said. "And what did you say?"

_He really wanted to know…_ Lily just couldn't get over that.

"No, of course. Does it really look as though I fancy him?" She asked.

"Well," he told her, with a rather relieved expression. "I guess you've just never hung out with us as much. You and Sirius seem to spend a lot of time together."

"Well, he is in two of my classes, and there is a reason I never spent time with you, him and Remus before, remember?" She asked, curious to see how he'd react.

"Yeah," he laughed. "My 'big-headedness' as you called it."

"Still do call it," she shot back.

"Oh, haven't I gotten just a little better?"

"Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be here talking to you, would I?"

"I knew you'd succumb to my lures sometime or other," he smirked, teasing her. She knew now that although he could be arrogant and a little too quick to pull out his wand, there was a sweet guy who had feelings underneath his show.

_I suppose if he didn't have a show, he wouldn't be as popular,_ Lily reasoned almost sadly to herself.

"Well, Lily," he interrupted her thoughts. "I have deciphered the code in which you speak."

"What in the world do you mean, Prongs?" She inquired, certain he was going mad.

"When you said you didn't feel like dancing, at first I actually believed you," he explained. "Now, I realize that that is Lily for 'I am a little disappointed that Sirius ditched me, but now I'm free to dance with James!'"

"Is that really what I meant?" Lily laughed. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Well, do you?" He questioned.

"Oh, that's James for 'Would you like to dance with me?"

"You're avoiding the question, Lily." He raised his eyebrow in mock reprimand.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. I hope I will be honoured to dance with you," she joked.

As he pulled her to the dance floor, she hoped her purposeful flirting with James was more obvious – let alone effectual – than her play flirting with Sirius. As the lead singer of Divajinx wailed on about her spellstruck lover, Lily was aware of every little brush between her and James. To make her even more nervous, every time she snuck a glance up at his face, his eyes were directed at her.

The Divajinx song petered out, replaced by a slow, crooning love song. Lily wasn't sure whether James would want to stay for a slow dance, and paused. James solved her conflict be putting both arms around her and holding her much closer. Stiffly, she reached behind him and placed her hands low down on his shoulder blades.

James' chest reverberated with a deep chuckle, followed by, "looks like Sirius and Estrella got fed up with dancing."

Lily twisted halfway to see the aforementioned pair slinking out of the doors. "No way," she whispered.

"Why not?" James said. "I think they suit each other."

"I know, but don't you think that they would both be too stubborn to admit it?" _Although_, Lily supposed, _James would know Sirius better than me…_

"Apparently, actually. There's Strelli coming back in in a hurry." Both laughed at their best friends.

Despite the booming music, and the laughter and the chatter of their classmates, the silence surrounding the two friends seemed to invade Lily's brain and echo, if that was even possible.

She looked up at James again. His eyes were smiling at her. Tightening her arms around him, she moved a little closer.

Now she was near enough to feel his muscles under his dress shirt and feel every heartbeat against her cheek.

"Evans," he murmured. She looked up at him expectantly. "Let's go get a drink. I'm getting really hot."

Inside, she sighed. "Okay," she said aloud "I have to go to the loo. I'll meet you at our table."

Lily's head was full of one thing as she made her way to the lavatory: James Potter. His heartbeat echoed in her ears, and the feel of his hard back stayed on her fingers.

Washing her hands, Lily stared at herself in the mirror. Was the girl in front of her falling in love? Was Lily falling in love with the boy who she had hated for three years?

"James," she whispered, the name falling from her open lips easily. She used to call him Potter; she used to make excuses to leave his 10-kilometre radius. She _used_ to hate him, but not anymore.

She loved him now, loved him because he was lovable, sweet, funny and made her laugh. She loved being with him, she loved hearing his voice, but she had never realized it before.

The girl in the mirror stared at Lily with big, joyful green eyes and said, "James," once more.

Decisively, Lily left the loo. She had known there was something at the back of her mind, and now it was cleared away because she had realized she loved James Potter.

Turning the corner, Lily saw two more of her best friends, Estrella and Sirius, kissing each other like there was no tomorrow.

"Estrella?" Lily cried, almost every particle of James racing to the back of her mind.

The two most beautiful, popular students in the school sprang apart like coiled springs. Both had lipstick smudged around the mouth, and it almost made Lily laugh. She _would_ have laughed if the most incredibly strangest thing hadn't just happened in front of her eyes.

"Sirius?" She asked quietly.

"Well-"

"Um-"

"Er-"

"Yeah-"

"Lily-"

"You see-"

"Um-"

"Er-" Both stammered away, not making the least bit of sense.

"You guys," Lily interrupted loudly. They both went quiet. That's when she did burst out laughing.

"Lily," Estrella whispered, standing beside Lily "Please, Lily. Nothing happened, okay?"

The red-haired girl quickly silenced. "What? What do you mean?"

"We mean," Sirius took over, putting his arm around Lily's shoulders in an explaining way. "That you never saw us… er, doing anything out of the ordinary."

"But, Estrella, Sirius, why? There's nothing wrong with it…" Lily couldn't fathom their faces. Both were focused intently on her, never acknowledging each other.

"Don't tell anyone, Lils," Estrella asked piteously. "It was a lapse in intelligence, and it will never happen again under any circumstances."

Lily saw some hesitance in Sirius' eyes, but he quickly reciprocated by saying, "And no one needs to know. Not even James."

At the black-haired boy's name, happiness flooded back into Lily, and they probably could have talked her into anything after that.

"Okay," she nodded agreeably. "Not even… James."

Lily hoped that the strange look Estrella gave her didn't indicate she had noticed the insipid voice Lily had used to say 'James'.

When Lily was back in her dorm that night, she knew she had seen both big events of the evening coming.

She had known she was attracted to James almost right from when he had talked to her in Transfiguration. She had just been unsure about it.

She _had_ loathed the black-haired boy before then, and it just felt wrong to think of him as someone to fall in love with. She hadn't even let the idea cross her mind until her dance with him. The fact that he had asked her about Sirius made an impact on her.

Whilst dancing, Lily had unconsciously discovered that there was nothing wrong with loving James, and all it took for her cognizant brain to know it was a beating heart and flushed cheeks in a mirror.

-OOO-

The next morning, Estrella wasn't in her usual spot when the food appeared on the platters before them. True to her word, Lily hadn't breathed a word of what she had witnessed the night before to anyone.

Instead, she took part in a heated conversation with James and Sirius about the first Quidditch match of the year, which was less than a week away. Sirius didn't seem to be scared of Lily breaking the secret.

"Oh my," Alice, sitting beside Lily, gasped. All seven of their group turned to look at Estrella who had just slipped in between Lily and Alice.

"Merlin, Estrella!" James broke the silence surrounding them as the all took in the sight.

Estrella, of the big blue eyes, the plump, red lips, and the long, golden hair, had cut it off to chin length. It waved softly over her ears, and then bobbed in small layers of curls near her chin.

"Hi guys," she greeted them cheerfully. "Have I missed much?"

-OOO-

In Divination that Monday, Estrella wasn't concentrating properly on her work.

Emmeline kept glancing nervously at her friend, as if afraid Estrella would attack Emmeline's glossy brown locks with a pair of kitchen shears.

A small first year burst through the trap door. "Professor Dramathe, Professor Dumbledore would like to see, er," she referred to a piece of paper. "Emmeline Vance, please?"

The beautiful Divination professor smiled kindly. "Of course. Miss Vance, please?"

Emmeline threw Lily and Estrella a puzzled glance, and then followed the little girl down the ladder.

"Wonder what's that about?" Lily asked curiously.

"I have no idea," Estrella murmured vaguely.

"What's wrong, Strelli?" Lily questioned hesitantly.

"Oh, nothing."

"Class, who can explain to me the significance of the unicorn in this chart?" Professor Dramathe requested, and Lily automatically raised her hand.

Once both girls were back to working, Estrella kept glancing at her watch, but Lily didn't ask any more questions, certain of the answer: "_Nothing_."

"I'm scared of him," Estrella burst out, slamming a hand on the small round table, causing their crystal ball to hop off the table.

"What?" Lily snatched the crystal ball from the air before it hit the ground. "Of… Siri-"

Estrella made a harsh shushing noise. "Yes, _him_. You know _his_ reputation, Lils! Do you really think I can, want to, trust someone like _him_?" Estrella whispered.

Lily opened her mouth, but the striking girl hushed her again.

"Let me get this out. I know you are all wondering why I cut my hair, and, well, I guess it's fairly simple." She paused. "You're the only one I could tell this too, Lily. All my life, people have seen me a certain way. I'm beautiful, I'm popular, I'm beautiful, I'm attractive, and so on. I need more that one person who thinks of me as something different, something with other qualities. I know you already do, Lils. But I'm not sure if _he_ could be another. I need prove to myself I _am_ something other than beauty before I let myself go to _him_ as a real person."

Lily didn't say anything at first, and then chose her words carefully. "You're always been much more than that beauty to me, Strelli. You are my best friend."

Wordlessly, Estrella leaned over the crystal ball and gave Lily a bone-crushing hug.

"Thanks, Lils," she muttered into her friend's shoulder.

Lily realized that it must be hard to be Estrella. Most girls would roll their eyes if a beautiful person complained about their looks, but since she was so close to Estrella, Lily saw from her point of view.

Almost like a celebrity, Estrella had to look presentable at all times, or her bedraggledness would be the hot topic of conversation that week among the students. Boys never fancied her for her personality, because she never let them know her personality. It was always her looks they fell for. That was the only part of her she let show. Lily hoped her friend would reveal her real self soon.

Their work was almost done, so Lily moved her stool closer to Estrella's so they could talk.

"So," she started. "I have something to tell _you_, Strelli. And please don't mention this to anyone."

The taller girl's eyes gleamed. She excited easily. "What is it?"

"Last night, I, er…" She couldn't bring herself to say it aloud. "I fell in love," she breathed quickly.

Estrella's jaw dropped like a sack of Galleons. "With… James? I knew it!"

Lily nodded sheepishly.

"I totally saw that coming," Estrella gushed. "I even have a whole theory. Alright, you know how you hated him, right? So, hate is a pretty strong emotion, and you hated him _a lot_. I figure if you feel so strongly about someone, you can't just let that go. Then, if you start to like the guy as a friend, those feelings have to go somewhere. So you fall in love with him, instead."

"You know," Lily concurred. "You may just be right."

-OOO-

The two girls made their way down to lunch together, both relieved at having a large weight partially off their shoulders. They passed through the huge Great Hall doors, and were immediately besieged by Emmeline, who was sobbing hysterically.

"Giddy's mother," she hiccupped. "The Death Eaters, they got her!"

Lily quickly put an arm around her. "Tell me what happened, Em," she urged calmly.

"Mrs. Prewett, she was killed… by Death Eaters. Giddy just got the owl. Mr. Prewett… he was the one to find her…" Emmeline gasped wetly. "He wanted to see me when he heard, Giddy, I mean. What are they going to do, Lily?" The usually confident, serene, patient, seventh year collapsed on Lily and Estrella's shoulders.

They looked at each other in horror over Emmeline's head. Gideon and Fabian's mother, dead? It was just too real, too close. The war had seemed so far away, headlines in the newspaper and news reports on the WWW. But someone Lily knew? A woman who had sent a letter and a huge box of sweets to her sons just the day before? It was just too much.

* * *

_A/N: Too much indeed. Was that too much chapter for you guys to handle? Well, how did you think? Did you think goood, or baaad? 5 reviews or next Saturday (30 December)! So can you imagine if that and the last chapter were combined? Because they were at one point...  
PS: There is your J/L action, MarisAlexia. Hah! Not much, is it? Well, more stuff happens, but... you'll see! (Cackle-cackle). :)_  
_Preview: Weell, next chappie is called "The First Quidditch Match". Gee, wonder what that is about? So, that pretty much explains it. I think... but before that there is (dun dun dun dun) the Marauder's Map! It's finally here! And some more... random stuff that is sooo insignificant next to the piece of genius created by our most beloved group of young men (excluding Wormtail...)  
_


	8. Chapter 8: The First Quidditch Match

_Scheduled Post: 30 December 2006  
Actual Post: 4 January 2007_

* * *

_A/N: So... I won't pretend that I am not hurt by everybody's lack of reviewing... even MarisAlexia didn't stop by with a few words and that puts a few extra tears in my eye... You are all so cruel that I have considered extending my publishing time... to every **two** weeks. Yeah, drastic, right? Well... I want reviews, understand? Okay, if I get 5 reviews this week then I will publish, and continue publishing every Saturday. However, if I continue to get under 5/none, then it **will** be every two weeks. Got it?_  
_Now, Quidditch... Quidditch equals love :D. And here it is. With a laame bit at the end that almost makes me puke. Oh yeah... how could I forget? That was just some random stuff that is sooo insignificant next to the piece of genius created by our most beloved group of young men (excluding Wormtail...)... Yes, ladies and gents, the Marauder's Map is finally here:)_  
_Wow, don't really need to add more to this A/N but... I have something I need to say. See down there where it says... "James. Shut it..." etc? Well... that is where I continued writing after my... let me see, year and three-quarters break. So that is all new stuff, after that. I like it alot more... hope you will too._

* * *

**-Chapter 8-**  
_The First Quidditch Match_

"It made me think, that could have been my mother," James told Lily that night whilst patrolling the halls for Head's duty. "In fact, it was more likely to be my mother. She's more of a well-known threat to the dark wizards."

"I know," Lily agreed, not having the heart to lie and tell him, 'No way, your mother's perfectly safe!' Because no one was perfectly safe, or even a little bit safe. "Every single person is in danger," she thought aloud. "Almost makes you want to make a difference _right now_, doesn't it?"

"You're so cute, Evans," James wrinkled his nose at her.

"What? What did I say?" Lily asked, happy he thought she was cute.

"Just the fact that you know you are going to make a difference at all means something, Evans," he explained. "You said that as if you were planning on making a difference eventually, but now that you understand you might not make it, you want to do it right away."

"I think everyone should try to make a positive difference," she said stoutly. "Even you, James Potter. You, as a popular, well-liked boy in the school, should have made one already!"

"Oh, you're making me blush, Evans," he protested, mock fanning himself with a hand. "But really, I'm not that popular, Sirius is the one who everyone knows about, and he had already made an influence on the school population. First he became a Gryffindor in a long line of Slytherin's, and then he ran away from home. Everyone knows his parents are cold, unforgiving and too high and mighty for their own good, but look at him! He's still a happy, outgoing guy. A little testy, perhaps, but great."

"I agree," she nodded. "But you can make an impact, too. You should work on that."

"I will," he smiled, eyes warm. "Oh yeah, I've got something to show you." He pulled her into a small niche off the corridor. "I had to promise Remus all I would do was show you and do nothing else with it about a thousand times, so I'm glad I didn't forget."

Fumbling in his pocket, he produced a small piece of worn, folded parchment. However, when he unfolded it, it seemed to grow in size until it was about a foot and a half across each way. It was completely blank.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," James whispered, and tapped the parchment with his wand. Fancy, curlicue script, spread out from his wand to proclaim:

_Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-makers_

_Are proud to present _

_THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

That faded swiftly and was replaced by what seemed to be a map.

"Wait," Lily said, leaning closer. "Is that… Hogwarts?"

James nodded. "See all the people?"

Indeed, everywhere there were small dots roaming around among the lines that represented Hogwarts' walls, and they were labeled with names.

"Estrella!" Lily gasped, spotting her friend in their dormitory, on her bed.

"Yeah," James grinned. "It can zoom in, it can find a certain person, and it even remembers things if you want it to," he continued, demonstrating each thing as he said them.

"You guys made this?"

"Yeah. It was mostly me, Remus and Sirius who did the actual thinking and instruction, and Wormtail (we were closer to him then), well, all he really did was provide moral support." He winked. "We made it in our fifth year. We were quite smart back then, actually."

"That was only two years ago, James."

"Exactly."

Lily bent over the wondrous map again for a minute of so, admiring every single detail. It even showed when a staircase swung round to a different position.

"Evans, about the night of the ball," James said softly, pulling the Marauder's Map away so she would pay mind to him. "I, er, was wondering – " The castle clock, located in the Great Hall but audible throughout the entire castle, cut him off by chiming eleven times.

The two Head stared at each other.

"That's the end of our shift," Lily said quietly. "We'd better head back."

"Yeah… sure."

-OOO-

In Transfiguration the next afternoon, Gideon showed up, looking haggard and devastated. Minnie saw him enter, but said nothing, just carried on with her lecture on Animagi. Lily could tell their classmates were excruciatingly curious about Mrs Prewett, but to everyone's relief, no one mentioned it. Gideon never breathed a word about his mother in Lily's presence again. He acted completely natural from thereon out: cheerful, stubborn, and courageous. But the brightness in his eyes had disappeared.

-OOO-

"So, _then_ Fab will catch the Snitch, but only then. And if he can't find it, there's our backup plan, where Giddy, Sirius and me steal the ball from Ravenclaw…" It was the Saturday of Gryffindor's first Quidditch match, and James was losing his cool in his own way: blabbing on about their plan to Lily for about the seven hundredth time.

"James. Shut it." Lily rolled her eyes. "I am not on your team, in case you didn't notice, and I have already memorized your plan B, along with plans C, D, E, F, and G."

"You have?" James looked taken aback.

"Yes, you dimwit. How could I not when you've been reciting them during every waking moment you've had for the past week?"

"Oh. Right."

After breakfast, James, Sirius, Gideon and Fabian, all on the Quidditch team, left for the changing rooms and Estrella, Remus, Emmeline and Lily departed to find seats on the pitch. The game was against Ravenclaw, so Emmeline was wearing her blue and bronze scarf proudly against her three friends' scarlet and gold. Alice and Frank Longbottom were sitting over in the Ravenclaw section. The two of them seemed in each other's pocket at all times these days.

"Iiit's the Ravenclaw team!" The commentator, a second year named Ludovic Bagman, cried from the professor's box. Professor McGonagall was sitting sternly off to the side. Minerva, of course. Maxilla had been absent from school for the past month or so. Lily assumed it was for the task Dumbledore mentioned in the beginning of the year to do with Voldemort.

"Dearborn, McTavish, Finnegan, Diggory, Collins, Flinch-Fletchey aaaaand Bluesman!" Bagman introduced the Ravenclaw team as they all walked out onto the pitch. "Here comes Gryffindor! Potter, Prewett, Black, Wynne, Tucker, Mitchell aaaaaaand Prewett! This is Ravenclaw's second game of the year, first being against Hufflepuff, which Ravenclaw won 200-180, as Hufflepuff's team this year is _superb_. This is only Gryffindor's first match, so we haven't seen their performance yet, but their arrangement seems to be fairly well put-together, thanks to Captain James Potter."

As Bagman spoke, the two captains, James and a seventh-year Ravenclaw by the name of Carodoc Dearborn, shook hands and took off into the sapphire sky. Madame Collins released the Bludgers and the Golden Snitch. The tiny golden ball hovered above her head for a jiffy, and then she blew her whistle and threw the Quaffle up into the air.

"And it's Potter, to Black, to Prewett, back to Black, Black's taking it down, oh, good Bludger dodge there, Black, but he's lost possession, but Potter's got it! First-rate form! Potter takes the ball down, passes to Prewett, shoots, and misses! Good go, Prewett. Possession Finnegan, pass to Diggory, well-hit Bludger by Mitchell, there, Potter snatches it beneath, and he's off down the pitch! Potter has been on the team since his second year, but this will be his last…"

James quickly passed over to Sirius, who passed back. James threw the ball towards the right hoop, but it was just a feint. In the blink of an eye, his body changed position and the ball was soaring through the far left hoop.

"That's a score for Gryffindor!" Bagman cried. "10-0 for them! Quite a rapid goal there, Gryffindor! Good on you!"

James scored another goal, and another. Dearborn, the Ravenclaw Keeper, seemed to be falling apart a little, and when Sirius scored yet again, bringing it to 40-0, he called a time-out.

"Good shot by Sirius, hey, Estrella?" Lily nudged her friend.

"Hmm, yeah, but not nearly as good as the three by James." Estrella smiled evilly, swishing her new haircut around. "Wouldn't you say, Lily?"

Emmeline looked at them oddly.

"Ha-ha!" Lily laughed awkwardly, nudging Estrella again, harder. The girl only nudged her back.

"Do you girls fancy some popcorn?" Remus asked.

"Oooh, yes, please," Estrella cried.

"Good, because I've already got it for you." He passed over three tubs of popcorn to them, and, as he had somehow been able to carry four at one, kept one for himself.

A blow of Madame Collins' whistle brought their attention back to the pitch, where everyone was once again mounting their brooms. Another whistle, and they took off, the balls soaring above them.

Gideon got hold of the Quaffle straight off, but immediately lost possession to Ravenclaw McTavish, who passed it to third year Amos Diggory. The Gryffindor side of the pitch burst out laughing as Diggory, caught up in his nervousness, fumbled and the ball slipped out of his fingers.

Sirius swooped below him and took off. He passed the Quaffle down to James, who was by the left goal past. James passed it off the Giddy, by the right goal, who shot. Carodoc, obviously feeling better, saved the shot and kicked it back out to the middle of the pitch. However, the Chasers had seen this coming and James was waiting for it. He snatched it out of the air and quick as a blink tossed it to Sirius, who scored in the middle hoop. When the ball was back in play, Giddy got hold of it and got another goal, raising it to 60-0.

Suddenly Gary Bluesman, Ravenclaw's seeker, went into a spectacular dive towards the ground. To everyone's astonishment, Fabian, sitting tranquilly on his broom, didn't instantaneously swoop after the fourth year.

"What's he _doing_?" Estrella groaned, blue eyes wide-open and long fingers digging into Lily's arm.

As everyone had their eyes on the Seekers, Chaser Finnegan, their best player, snatched the Quaffle. Cassandra Wynne had so far saved every shot attempted at her (which was a better performance than she had shown at the tryouts that Lily had seen), but when Finnegan took a crack at her it was so unexpected that she lunged a second too late. The goal bell clanged at the exact time Bluesman hit the ground.

"The score is 60-10, folks, but Ravenclaw's seeker may be out of commission. Dearborn better have prepared a back-up Seeker. That was a heartrending attempt at the legendary Wronski Feint, folks," Bagman explained. "Judging by his inactivity, Seeker Prewett recognized the Feint before it was carried out. Good choice there, Potter."

Madame Pomfrey, the matron of the infirmary, bustled over to take a look at Bluesman, who was clutching his stomach, and groaning loudly. The Ravenclaw team quickly landed and Heather Flinch-Fletchey was the first to crouch by Bluesman's side.

"Pathetic," Estrella scoffed loudly. "Fabian would never be making that much noise."

"Fab would never have gotten himself injured in the first place," Remus reminded her.

"Exactly!" Estrella replied.

"Bluesman's back on his feet!" Bagman declared. As the Ravenclaw side of the pitch erupted in cheers, the Gryffindor's grudgingly let out a few claps. Madame Collins' whistle blast began the game once more. James, Sirius and Giddy all scored another goal each, bringing the score to 90-10. Emmeline, not a fanatically loyal Ravenclaw, cheered and booed alternately at each goal.

"What's this?" Bagman cried out, leaning over the edge of the commentator's box. "Prewett has taken off, folks! Is this the real thing?"

Bluesman, looking a little worse for wear, wobblingly turned and zoomed off after Fab, but was too late. Fabian sank triumphantly to the ground, fist containing the Golden Snitch raised above his head.

"Score's 240-10 for Gryffindor!" Bagman bellowed as the pitch went off in cheers. "Gryffindor wins by an impressive 230 points!"

-OOO-

"But Ravenclaw's got a horrid team this year," James told Lily, gulping down more Butterbeer. "Their Seeker's hopeless, their Chaser's are uncoordinated and Dearborn cannot keep a single thing out of those hoops."

"You won!" Lily cried.

"I know," he laughed, giving her an odd look. "I realized that a while ago."

"You won!" Lily repeated. "Quit worrying about how good your team is, or Slytherin, or Hufflepuff! You won! Enjoy it!"

"I will, I will," he insisted. "With you by my side." Grinning, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to where Remus, Sirius and Estrella were chatting.

"What?" Lily gasped. "What do you mean?" He just grinned and winked at her.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I finally decided to publish... I came to the conclusion that despite the fact that none of you reviewed, not even **one**, I would put that behind me and publish many days too late (5 days, in fact). Now, I could have waited for Saturday... but I decided to give you a chance to redeem yourselves... so if I get three (note that it is three, not five. I am being very lenient) reviews before Saturday (6 January), I will publish Chapter 9: A Savage, Vicious Werewolf... and you can bet what that means!  
Preview: Well... Chapter 9 is alot about how Lily's feeling right now (i.e. very confused), and then something baaaad happens in the middle :O. And then, whilst posting a letter, Lily spots some suspicious activity on the grounds... does it have something to do with the fact that her three best guy friends are in the hospital wing the next day? (Obviously...)  
_


	9. Chapter 9: A Savage, Vicious Werewolf

_Scheduled Post: 6 January 2007_  
_Actual Post: January 2007_

* * *

_A/N: Longest chapter so far, guys!  
Jeez, I get no reviews for my Chapter 7, but 4 for Chapter 8?? What was wrong with Lily falling in love, huh? HUH? Okay, I'll stop now... I pondered on waiting until tomorrow to publish, and see if someone else would review, but decided that since I promised it would be three reviews, not 5, and also I promised someone that I would publish today, I am going to publish as soon as I finish this A/N.  
I usually try to make Lily like a combo of Harry, Hermione and something else as well... someone who is very selfless. But in this chapter she is acting alot like Hermione, because that is just is how she turned out._

* * *

**-Chapter 9-**  
_A Savage, Vicious Werewolf_

"Lily," Narcissa pulled on her arm. "Come here for a second." It was three days after Gryffindor's victory, and Lily was in Potions with Narcissa, James, Giddy, Estrella, Emmeline and Remus.

"What is it, Narcissa?" Lily asked.

"Lily, I'm sorry-" Narcissa stopped talking and looked down. "I don't think you and I can be friends anymore."

The class ended and Lily grabbed her books and shoved them furiously into her bag.

"What? Is this because of your little Slytherin friends?" Lily cried as they walked out. "We'll protect you from them, dolt!"

"Lily," Narcissa said in a quiet, calm voice. "You can't protect me from everything."

"Hey!" Sirius bounded up beside them "What are you ladies talking about?" Despite his carefree attitude, Lily noticed that Sirius never actually looked at his cousin.

"Oh-" Lily began to make something up, but the boy quickly interrupted her.

"So, Lily, happy now?"

"About what?"

"No pranks this whole year, obviously. Did you not even notice?"

"Er, okay. I never said I wanted no pranks, but good job. I'm proud of you." Lily laughed.

"You never said 'no pranks' to James?"

"Er, not exactly."

"Odd," Sirius frowned.

"Why, what is it?"

"Well, at the beginning of the year we couldn't really do anything because of some stuff going on with Moony. But when that was over, James kept insisting on no pranks."

"I still don't get it."

"So when we asked him why, he said something like, 'Because of Lily.'"

"Because of _me_?" Lily stopped walking as they entered the Great Hall. She could see James sitting with Estrella and Remus at the Gryffindor table.

"Yeah, Lily, obviously because of you," Sirius scoffed, and began walking again towards some empty seats beside their friends.

"Wait," Lily hissed. "Do you know why?"

"Uh, you, of course. That's what I just said."

"No, I mean," Lily whispered as they neared James. "Why me?"

Sirius stopped walking and turned around to look incredulously at Lily. "You really don't know?"

Lily shook her head, exasperated.

"Wow, you're even thicker than James," he exclaimed.

Suddenly there was a loud scream from the direction of the staff table. It echoed in the silence it left. Minerva McGonagall was standing and clutching a sheet of parchment white as her face. Abruptly, Dumbledore stood and leaned over to her. Faint murmurings were heard, and then Dumbledore led McGonagall out of the hall.

The tables erupted in sound as everyone began speculating on what could have happened to Minnie. James, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Estrella all agreed on one probability, however: Maxy. Something had happened to the Transfiguration professor's twin sister, and that letter had carried the news.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" James questioned as Lily sat down beside him. His hand brushed hers as he reached for the salt.

"…_Because of Lily…_"

Sirius' comment still resonated in Lily's head, and she blushed.

"Uhm," she stammered, trying to recall what he had asked. "I don't – oh, er, probably. Are you thinking about Maxy?"

"Exactly," he replied, not seeming to notice her difficulties in focusing. "Poor Minnie."

"Mhmm," she murmured, staring at where his black hair stuck up in the back. He had nice long fingers, Lily noticed as he forked a mouthful of salad into his mouth. His hands were fairly big and tanned. The looked very capable – Lily realized he had been talking.

"Sorry… what was that?" She asked, as a fresh blush worked its way across her dusting of freckles.

"I said, I hope it's nothing _too_ bad. I would hate to have anything happen to good old Maxy – hey," he interrupted himself. "Aren't you hungry? You haven't even touched the food yet."

"Oh, er, yeah." Lily laughed, thoroughly embarrassed. She had been staring at James' lips whilst he had been talking. He'd obviously noticed and was thinking she was a complete creep. "I'm starving," she continued. "Please pass the, er, asparagus."

"Asparagus?" He looked uncertain, hand on the bowl but not passing it over to her. "I thought you hated asparagus."

"You know that?" Lily gasped a little but squeakily. "You noticed? I _mean_ – you're right, of course, James. Thank you for remembering. I'll just have these, er, this here salad."

She smiled widely to show she was fine, then stopped, deciding that he would probably question her sanity if she kept smiling at that volume. But it was weird to just stop smiling. So she smiled a little bit, a contented smile. Then she realized that she probably looked quite odd, smiling, then not, and then smiling again for no apparent reason. So she stopped. And then began smiling a little bit again, because she was laughing hysterically at herself inside.

_Oh, Merlin, what if…_ Slowly, Lily snuck a glance over at James. Indeed he had been watching the whole thing.

"Oh, Evans," he laughed, slinging his arm around her shoulders. "I wish I could know half the things that run through your head. Your expressions are so enthralling."

"Oh," she said, in a rather clever sort of way.

"Not just now, either," he explained. "Quite a bit."

"Oh," she repeated. This time the monosyllable was more on the witty side, she thought…

She looked over at James, whose arm was still heavy on her shoulders. His eyes were glowing all hazel-y at her. Mmmm, James' eyes.

Merlin.

She was pathetic.

She had never, _ever_ been this pathetic about a boy before. But she couldn't help it… Honestly. Just look at those _eyes_!

"There go your expressions again," James commented.

-OOO-

In Potions Lily couldn't keep her mind on the very complicated Magical Creature Sedative they were concocting. Thoughts chased each other around her brain as her partner, Estrella, carefully measured and sliced ingredients for the potion.

As usual of late, Lily Evans had one thing on her mind: James Potter. Her mind had been occupied with him at all hours, giving her no time to contemplate either the Maxy issue or the Narcissa debacle. He was sitting two tables down, brows knit in frustration as he surveyed the instructions for the sedative.

_On one side,_ reasoned Lily silently, _there's his charm. There's the way he acts around me (but that could be just regular James behaviour, I wouldn't know). And of course, there's that whole pranks thing Sirius brought to light. But on the other hand, there's his past reputation: maddening, perverse prat. And pestering me about a date after every breath. Merlin._

And why exactly couldn't she just forget about all that?

She was afraid that he would relapse back into his old irksome self. That's what she was afraid of. She still didn't trust him.

_Lily!_ She told herself austerely. "Why not?"

"Why not – what?" Estrella questioned, newly short hair bobbing around her face.

"Um, nothing." Lily blushed. "I don't know."

"Well, I do," the blonde girl snapped irritably. "Why aren't you helping me with this bloody potion, that's what!"

"Strelli…" Lily paused. "Tell me what's wrong."

"_Obviously,_" Estrella laughed in an unhappy way, "Sirius hasn't even looked at me since I cut my hair. What's wrong with me?" Estrella glanced over to where the handsome young man was tossing odd bits of ingredients haphazardly into his cauldron as his partner, James, was clearly beseeching him to cease. "What's wrong with _him_?"

"Well, my cherished friend," Lily placed a small hand on Estrella's arm. "Perhaps the fact that you so thoroughly disheartened him from even thinking about you, let alone looking at you, on the night of the Halloween Ball."

Estrella dropped her beautiful eyes. "Possibly that wasn't what I meant?"

"How can he tell that, hmm?" Lily urged, tucking her vibrant locks behind her ear. "Personally I see a lot of the blame of his inattentiveness resting on your shoulders, Strelli."

Sneaking another peek at her Sirius, the stunning Estrella bit her lip. "I just don't know if I'm still afraid…"

"I feel your pain, darling." Lily drawled moodily, dropping her head on to folded arms. Her fiery hair fell in long streams across the Potions table.

"Oh bloody hell – " Estrella leapt up, shouting. "Lily!" Reluctantly, Lily looked up as their forgotten cauldron bubbled over a revolting greeny-orange hue. Her gaze wavered toward James, to find him staring straight at her.

-OOO-

Lily was sitting silently between Sirius and Estrella at supper when Dumbledore stood up and spread his arms for attention. She nudged Sirius (who was nagging James about something to do with Quidditch) sharply, making sure that she made no type of eye contact with James, because who knew what kinds of things her mind would get up to. Definitely not listening to Dumbledore, anyway.

"Thank you students," the Headmaster said. His voice was very quiet, but something about the aged man demanded respect, and therefore silence. "Some of the more attentive individuals amongst you may have noticed an absence at our staff table on this evening. You may have also noticed that our banners are no longer our customary multi-coloured array, but all a sorrowful black."

Guilt overcame Lily's mind as she quickly assumed what had happened. How could she not even have detected that _neither_ McGonagalls were at the table, or that the banners in the Great Hall were a deep, depressing black? (James Potter, that's how).

"A member of our loyal and dedicated staff has departed from this conscious world, my students," Dumbledore continued. "A month and a half ago our beloved Arithmancy professor left us on a short journey. However, she has now gone on _the_ journey, and shall never be returning to us, her dear friends. Maxilla McGonagall was a beautiful, caring individual, and everyone regrets this loss. Please stay silent for a moment as we remember her."

Identical tears ran down Lily and Estrella's faces, and they reached to each other's hands, wordless. They could never have imagined that something such as this incident could ever happen. Voldemort was out there somewhere, ruthless and cruel. He had just killed their professor, they knew, despite Dumbledore's clever evasion of the malicious and shocking truth. That information was too much for the average student to handle, Lily reasoned, agreeing with the Headmaster's exclusion of those facts.

She felt her mind bursting with guilt, sorrow and too many other emotions to count, so she tried to release them through the shining tears that streamed down her pale face to land unhindered and unnoticed in her lap. Despite the warm fires glowing within the school to keep it provided with heat, a chill ran through the Great Hall, right through to the bone of everyone who knew Maxilla McGonagall, or anyone murdered by the malevolent Dark Lord.

-OOO-

That night in her dormitory, Lily tossed and turned as she dreamt of the unknown face of Lord Voldemort. The only thing her unconscious mind could conjure up for his image was a tall man shrouded in black, who bore down on her with an air of death surrounding him. The feeling of dread stayed with Lily for a long while afterwards.

Life passed for the Hogwarts students with no rare occurrences for the next ten days. Shocked and subdued by two murders in a fortnight, the school's population stayed quiet and sorrowful, going to class and meals as usual. Every morning when the flurry of owls arrived the Great Hall was held in a fearful silence until everyone's mail was read and mutely declared bearers of no bad news.

-OOO-

One night after a long evening of homework in the Common Room, Lily set off to the Owlery, quite reluctantly.

It was November 21. Petunia's birthday.

Lily had barely remembered to pick up a package of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum the weekend before to send off to her ungrateful sister, who most definitely never remembered _her_ birthday. She dashed off a quick note, topped by her home address, placing the scrap of parchment on a windowsill bathed in moonlight so she could see. Taking the small brown package, Lily attached the note to it with a quick charm before tying it to her chosen owl's leg.

Leaning against the sill, she watched the owl thoughtfully as it soared off, silhouetted by the full moon. A movement down on the grounds attracted her attention.

Set in sharp relief by the moon, three figures stood before the slowly swaying Whomping Willow. Lily leaned further into the frigid night as the Willow started up frantic flailing, and then in the blink of an eye, froze as solid as a Muggle photograph. As she observed, hanging out into the air, the three figures, obviously males, and with familiar walks, at that, hurried towards the immobile tree, and seemed to disappear into its trunk.

"What in Merlin's name…?" Lily murmured. Maybe they had only been behind the tree, she thought, and stood there for a good five more minutes to see if they emerged again. The grounds stayed silent and unmoving, the Forbidden Forest and the Whomping Willow dancing slightly in the cool breeze sweeping across the chilly night. Those three boys were Sirius Black, James Potter, and Remus Lupin, Lily was certain of it; what she didn't know was why.

-OOO-

Her first class the next morning was Muggle Studies, in which she usually sat with Estrella, Remus and Sirius. This particular morning, however, the two young men were absent – no Sirius cracking bad jokes and crossing his legs on top of the table, and no Remus to look at him admonishingly after trying to pretend to read the book he seemed to be constantly stuck to lately.

As Professor Smith was halfway through a lecture on Muggle medicine, Lily raised her hand.

"-Called stitches, in which a _doctor_ actually takes up a needle – Er, yes, Miss Evans?" He asked pompously.

"Excuse me, sir, but where are Sirius Black and Remus Lupin?" Lily spoke up, causing many people to look over at her.

"Black and Lupin – doesn't matter, they're fine – now where was I? Right, thank you, Grout. These _doctors_ actually take up a needle and thread and stitch the wound closed, strange as it seems – what _is_ it, Evans?"

"Sorry, sir," Lily replied, taking her hand down once again. "But I would really like to know where Sirius and Remus are."

Smith stared dully at her. "That is information that I cannot tell you at this time, Miss Evans. Now, if you would allow me to continue in the lesson? Thank you…

"_Doctors_, or Muggles Healers, as it were, stitch up the wound. In magical injuries, this would not be effective, as the wound may contain poison or another substance perhaps. However, on non-magical, or Muggle wounds, this is considered a sophisticated and effectual cure…"

-OOO-

Lily had never had a great like for Peter Pettigrew, a small boy with a squeaky voice who idolized the Marauders, (and was, in fact, was a Marauder himself, but Lily tried to ignore that fact), but she knew that he, of all people, would know where the missing boys were.

"Er, hospital wing." He told her rather uncertainly when she abruptly approached him in the corridor and queried as to where the location of her three friends were.

"Hospital wing?" She echoed impatiently. "Are you sure?"

He only nodded furiously.

Murmuring a quick thanks, Lily set off in a rushed manner to her next class, Divination, not feeling able to wait for lunch break, when she would be able to go talk to the three Marauders in the infirmary. Bursting with impatience, she somehow made it through not only Divination, but Transfiguration (which was additionally excruciating as McGonagall was so morose she hardly said a word, just waved her wand at the board every once in a while, which caused Lily to feel guilty about her inattention, before her thoughts swung back around to the Marauders) as well before bustling towards the east wing of the castle – the hospital wing.

Lily was no unintelligent young woman – indeed, there are many who would call her the best witch in her year, so as one can imagine, by this time she was not only brimming with ideas, but also almost certain she knew what was going on with three friends. Or at least one of them.

-OOO-

"Certainly _not_," Madame Pomfrey snapped when Lily requested to see her friends. "Only one of them is awake anyway."

"Well, there you go, then." Lily smiled charmingly. "I'll only be disturbing one out of the three. That's only a third of the trouble!"

"Rubbish!" the strict matron scowled. "These boys need their rest!"

"Yeah, got that part," Lily muttered.

"What's that?" Madame Pomfrey asked sharply.

"Er," she began, but was saved by a cry from a bed behind Madame Pomfrey.

"Hey, Poppy? Who's out there? Some adoring fan that has come to see me?" Lily would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Sirius Black!" Madame Pomfrey hushed. "Quiet down! Mr Potter and Mr Lupin are still sleeping."

"Oh, my," Sirius replied, sounding quite taken aback. "You're very correct. What lazy layabouts, I must say!"

Pomfrey dashed over to the three occupied beds, leaving Lily rocking impatiently on the balls of her feet.

"Mr Black, please," the matron scolded. "Have some of this!" She thrust a large grey bottle at towards him.

"Urgh!" Sirius said, pushing it away valiantly. "I know your tricks, Poppy, and I am not to be fooled. That is your Dreamless Sleep Draught, is it not?" To Lily's astonishment, the pompous Madame Pomfrey actually smile a little, and patted the handsome young man on his shining brown head.

"Very well. Come in, Miss Evans. No longer than ten minutes, mind you!"

"Biccy?" Sirius offered to Lily once she had come over to sit at his head.

"Er, no thanks," she muttered, waving his persistent hand away. "Listen, Sirius – what were you guys up to last night?"

Something in her tone made Sirius let go of the biscuits and sat up a little. "I guess you have some suspicions," he surmised, glancing at the peacefully sleeping forms of his two best friends.

"Yeah," Lily breathed. "Yeah, I do."

They sat in silence for a bit, broken only by a loud snore issued by James. Sirius chuckled a bit, and then sobered up again.

"So, tell me about these aforementioned suspicions, Miss Evans, and how you came about them?"

"Stop me if I'm incorrect," Lily began. "Because I hate that."

"As I can imagine." Sirius nodded.

"This is all to do with Remus, because I haven't worked out you two yet…" Lily hesitated.

"Go on about Remus," her friend encouraged. "Knowing you, you're probably spot on."

"Remus… well, he goes to visit his sick mum a lot, doesn't he? But always at the same time of the month: full moon. If I'm not mistaken, he was supposed to have left for home the day before yesterday, and not get back until tomorrow. Yet here he is," she explained, gesturing towards the light-brown-haired boy dozing. "And there he was, last night."

Here Sirius looked at her sharply. "Last night?"

"Yes. When I was looking out the Owlery window I recognized you three as you all disappeared into the Whomping Willow (which is another part that I don't understand fully yet). And now all three of you are in the hospital wing."

"And that would be because…?" Sirius prompted, smiling a little.

"Because… Remus is…"

He motioned for her to continue. "His mother _is_ perfectly healthy, if that helps you with your articulation."

"Werewolf?" Lily squeaked.

"One hundred points to Miss Evans!" Sirius crowed, applauding. "It's amazing to watch your brilliant mind work, I must say. Knew you were bright the moment I set my eyes on you, kind of like James fell in love with you the moment _he_ set eyes on you."

This caused Lily to go completely silent, until she chose to ignore that one line and continue on in her theory.

"So… a werewolf… astonishing. And what about you two?" She queried, pointing at both Sirius and James.

"We would be Animagi," Sirius said matter-of-factly, then helped himself to a biscuit from his bedside table.

"_What_?" Lily cried.

"Hush now. Wouldn't want old Poppy to come running." Sirius nodded, chewing on his biscuit. "Ever since fifth year… I am a dog, James a stag… hence the nicknames–"

"_Padfoot_ and _Prongs_!" Lily couldn't believe her own stupidity. "Of course, how could I not have realized! I've always wondered about those nicknames."

"But there's a third – or fourth, counting old Moony-"

"Moony! Of course!"

"-One of us, although he is not as often affiliated with us lately."

"Pettigrew," Lily breathed.

"There is a certain knot of the trunk of the Whomping Willow that if pressed, will freeze the tree for a certain amount of time," Sirius told her. "However, a dog, a stag nor a teenage boy is quite small enough to accomplish this as the Willow whomps."

"Wormtail. A… rat?"

"There're those brains once more."

There was quiet once again, until –

"Lily."

She turned to find Remus awake and blinking down at his lap.

"Remus?" She returned, not sure of his tone.

"You–" his voice broke. "I can't believe I'm asking this!" His long pale fingers clutched at the white bed sheets. "Do you still – are you still–" He turned his face to Sirius appealingly. "Help me out here, Padfoot, mate."

"What Remus is trying to say," Sirius began, in the most solemn tone Lily had ever heard him use. "Do you want to continue your friendship with him, Lily?"

A drawer banged shut in Madame Pomfrey's office. Remus' hands slowly flattened against the sheets covering his lap, and he pressed down on his thighs with abnormal pressure.

"It – Remus, it isn't even a question," Lily whispered, tears crowding behind her words. "Not even close!"

His eyes, when he looked up, held something new, something that hadn't been about to enter the werewolf's eyes before.

It was hope.

"Tell me about it," Lily demanded. "Everything." She had moved off of the uncomfortable straight-backed chair to sit with her upper body against the head off Sirius' bed and her legs stretched out beside his torso as he lay down.

"The tree," Remus began. "It was planted six years ago as a seedling. When I came here for the first time. It was all thanks to Dumbledore…"

"And what happened last night?" She asked. It was half an hour later, after Sirius and Lily had forced Remus to go all they way back to when he was a young boy… back when he was bitten.

"Last night…" Remus looked away.

"'S'not your fault, mate," Sirius put in, chewing on another biscuit. "Say, do _you_ want a biscuit, Moony?

The boy declined.

"It's not your fault at all, Moony. It was mine and Prongs', if anyone's."

"What happened?" Lily asked again.

"I got out of control," Remus said quietly, looking down at his hands again. "I went for James – and – and I got him–"

"Then I saw this," Sirius put in. "So I leapt on the dirty blighter's back. That distracted him alright, let Prongs get away."

"But you two are okay?" Lily asked, eyes darting towards James' sleeping form. "You didn't get bitten or anything, did you?"

"Bitten? Yeah, we get bitten all the time." Sirius chuckled at her wide-eyed expression. "Werewolf bites don't affect animals, Lily. Not even Animagi. Trust me – we looked into this."

"Where did you get bitten?" Lily continued, worriedly. "Nothing too bad?"

"Everything still attached," Sirius winked. "He got me on the back, the wanker." He turned around and lifted up his pajama shirt. A large bandage covered his lower back.

"What about James?" She asked.

"Leg," James said from the other side of Sirius. He had woken up. "Right in the back of the knee–"

"Sorry, mates," Remus interrupted. "I've never really gotten this bad before, Lily – maybe it's an extra-full moon or something–"

"Rubbish!" James exclaimed. "If it was you, then we wouldn't be calling you wanker, or blighter, or whatever – listen, it's not _you_, Remus! It's a savage, vicious werewolf – tell me, Li– Evans, if you thought of a trillion words that described Remus, would those two even be on there?"

"Er, nowhere," Lily replied, mind still caught on where James had almost called her Lily.

"It was us, mate," Sirius continued. "We weren't tip-top yesterday, eh, Jamie-boy?"

"I was feeling a bit stiff, myself," James agreed. "Low-drawer, I believe the expression would be–"

"I bit you in _three_ places, James," Remus interrupted ferociously, ignoring Lily's gasp. "Three places! Arm, leg, _and_ head!"

"Give it a _rest_, Moony!" Sirius snapped. "Listen carefully: It… wasn't… you. And we… don't… give… a… bloody… Golden Snitch! Got it?"

Smiling a little, Remus nodded just as Madame Pomfrey came bustling towards them.

"Miss Evans! It's been almost an hour – and you're _still_ here! _And_ you've woken up all three!"

"Come now, my little Poppy–" Sirius began.

"Now, Mr Black." Madame Pomfrey beckoned James to sit up and turn around. "Your charms won't work on me this time around, understand? This might hurt a little, Mr Potter," she added as she began to unravel the thick white bandage swathed around James' head. He made no sounds, not even when she applied some strange-looking herbs to the big, scary, red wound behind his ear. Lily could see him digging his nails into his palms until there were large white spots from lack of blood circulation, but he made no sound.

"Miss Evans!" The matron said waspishly as she began to wrap James' head in a fresh length of cloth. "I think you have disturbed these poor boys enough. Go! Go!"

-OOO-

Sirius and Remus returned to class the next day, but James wasn't permitted to join the outside world by Madame Pomfrey until almost a week later, leg and arm in large casts and bobbing head wrapped in swathes of white material alike to a turban… It wasn't until then that Lily, prompted by James' inquiry, realized that she hadn't seen nor heard Narcissa Black since that strange, befuddling day. She had been there, alright, but had a special gift of inconspicuousness that kept her from being noticed.

Every time Lily tried to approach her, the small, darkly beautiful girl would somehow slip out from under her nose. Finally, when Lily had Narcissa cornered in the library, she was discouraged by the look in her eyes: pleading, desolate. It clearly said to Lily 'please, don't make worse.' So Lily, very uncharacteristically, gave up.

* * *

_A/N: Lily! You gave up?! Yeah, well... it's neccesary.  
Anyways, I don't know about other people, but here in Canada, the part where I live, it is sooo depressingly rainy in November (except last Nov it actually snowed, about as rare in that month here as, well, as me going out on a date!), and I think that it is similar in England... for some reason, to me it seems as if this chapter has a bit of that dreary raining feel to it... But it's probably just crazy little insane, nutters me.  
So... (my fingers are cold). Next Saturday ( 14 January?) or 5 reviews, peoples. Them there are my conditions. :)____Preview: Chapter 10... dun dun dun dun... is actually one of my very favourites ever! Okay, first it is sad/happy, a part with James and Lilikins, then a funny part (is that... an old guy on a broom?), then it is scary, and then more scary, and then a little bit of happy at the end cuz there always has to be that little bit of happy.  
_


	10. Chapter 10: The Owlery

_Scheduled Post: 13 January 2007  
Actual Post: 15 January 2007_

* * *

_A/N: Someone gave me a review practically seconds after I post Chapter 9... someone called p.s... and guess what they said! Guess! They said that I write beautifully! Now, if you want some tips on how to review, call them up cuz they have got it down pat! We have gotten 4 reviews in total for this chapter... not bad, not bad at all... except, bad! I wanted 5, guys! Gee golly gosh, you are all pretty retarded, let me say (except those that did review :D)  
MarisAlexia... no romantic action, but it's not sad... happy, not really either, but not sad, so don't worry!:D. This is one of my favourite chapters... sorry!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling. (I apologize for my lack of disclaimer in the past few chapters. I hope you forgive me and understand they do not belong to me!)  
_

* * *

**-Chapter 10-**  
_The Owlery_

"It must have taken a very long time to do," Lily remarked.

"Yeah, it did," James replied. They were out patrolling again. The night was a wet one, torrents of rain pounding down outside. "We came up with the idea in third year, when we'd had enough of Remus going out there all alone…" He grinned at her. "At first, Sirius and I were jealous that he got all the excitement… we were foolish back then. Once we actually truly mastered our Animagus forms, we had a new reason – loyalty."

They paused inside a window, and stared out at the bucketing rain.

"Lucky it wasn't like this full moon," Lily stated.

James nodded, hazel eyes still on the dark outdoors.

"Oh – bloody hell," he sighed. "I think I left the Quidditch equipment room open…" He did not move, however, and stayed staring out the window.

"Well, come on, then," Lily said, quietly. "Let's go have a look."

Once outside, Lily put a quick waterproofing spell on her cloak, and whispered "_Lumos_." James led the way to the equipment room, which was indeed open.

"Well, nothing's gone," he proclaimed after doing a quick survey of the small room "Can understand why… who would want to get drenched just to nick a ratty old broom or Quidditch ball?"

Lily was sitting on the floor near the door. He slowly slumped beside her, messy black hair falling in his eyes as he stared at his big hands. Lily's fingers itched to run through it, strive to make it lie flat… any excuse to touch him…

"Do you ever–" James tone was just above a whisper. "Do you ever wonder… what is going to happen to you?"

"Of course," she replied. "I worry about everything."

"But – do you ever get really worried?" He asked, still quiet. "I want to be an Auror – a good guy. But there's lots of bad guys out there – that can kill me…"

"But… you'll be saving people, helping them," Lily insisted. "You'll help the whole world."

"Yeah… I know. I know. But what about Remus? A werewolf's lucky to get a job as a Muggle garbage man. His pride'll only let him bum off me for so long, you know?"

"Forget his bloody pride!" Lily said vehemently. "We're his friends – we'll make sure he'll be okay, right?"

"And Sirius – he's so reckless… always asks questions _after_ he hexes. I should know – I used to be like that."

Silence. A long silence that left Lily with tears behind her startling eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" She burst out. "Why are you being so negative?"

In a flash he had an arm around her. "I'm sorry, Lily." He drew her in close. He was warm. "I'm sorry – I'm sorry," he repeated, chin on her hair.

"You…" She didn't want to move. This was her perfect world. "You called me… Lily…"

"I'm sorry…" He said again, whispering. "Let's… go back. Come on." He pulled away, but then offered her a hand up. "We should go back to the castle."

Clutching to his hand, she followed him into the downpour like a puppy. What had just happened? Why? And why so fast?

"What the bloody hell is that?" James murmured, releasing her hand so he could shield his eyes against the weather. Following his gaze, Lily saw an odd figure zigzagging towards them through the night sky. It was headed in a crash course concerning the Quidditch pitch.

"A broom…" James whispered. "It's someone on a broomstick – come on, Evans!" Together they raced across the soaked pitch, robes flapping out behind them.

Lying beside an old, tatty broomstick was an old, tiny man wearing checkered pajamas underneath a tartar dressing gown.

"Sir!" James cried, dropping to his knees beside the figure. "Are you alright, sir?"

"You!" The man rasped, sitting up without warning. "What's your name, boy?"

"Er, James Potter, sir," James answered.

"Potter! You're the spitting image of your father, boy!" The man seized James' sleeve and pulled it towards him forcefully. James had no choice but to lean in close. "The name's Humbert Flourish, boy – you listen, and well!"

Eyes wide, James nodded.

"They're all coming, got it? Dozens of them… Apparating to Hogsmeade, they are, and coming here! They're coming!" Mr Flourish released his grip on James' sleeve. "Understand?" The tiny man wheezed.

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't. Who're coming?" James asked, a desperate note in his voice.

Rivulets of water ran down Mr Flourish's face as he gazed up at the two students. "They think they'll take you by surprise!" He gasped. "But I can fly – I was Quidditch Captain in my time, I was!"

"Sir!" James exclaimed. "_Who? _Who is coming?"

"You-Know-Who's servants!" The man's voice wavered. "_Death Eaters_!"

In horror, James slowly turned his head to look at Lily's wide, terrified eyes.

"Come on, Mr Flourish," Lily urged as between she and James they managed to get him into the castle.

"McGonagall's office is closest," James said, and they began leading the feeble old man towards the Transfiguration professor's office.

"I'll go on ahead," Lily told them, letting go of Mr Flourish and speeding through the corridors.

"Professor McGonagall!" She cried, pounding on the large wooden door. "Professor, it's Lily Evans, open up!"

The door opened under her beating fist, and there was McGonagall, long black hair flowing out from under a lace bonnet, clutching her wand.

"Miss Evans!" The professor cried. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Professor, Death Eaters are coming – from Hogsmeade!" Lily gasped. "You've got to hurry!

"Death Eaters – well, Miss Evans, what makes you think – Mr Flourish! What are you doing here?" McGonagall exclaimed, looking a bit flustered, as James, now carrying the old man in his arms, rounded the corner.

"I flew!" The proprietor of the well-known bookstore said proudly. "Never underestimate a Flourish, my dear Minerva."

"But, Mr Flourish, is what Miss Evans is saying… true?" As she spoke, she came out of her office and almost shut the door behind her.

"Yes-" the man began, but James interrupted him.

"They are – Professor – we've got to hurry!" He shoved Mr Flourish into McGonagall's office, saying, "You stay there, sir – Professor, we've got to get Dumbledore!"

"Of – of course," McGonagall said, drawing herself up to her full height, which didn't nearly match James. "Potter, Evans, come along!" The young woman began putting her hair up as they swept through the halls of the castle. "We'll need to – yes – of course – how could I not have seen this?" She muttered to herself.

The two seventh years exchanged glances, but didn't say anything.

"You two – wait here," she commanded when they reached the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office.

Precious moments passed in silence, James pacing in a small stretch of corridor, and Lily silent and still, both waiting. Who knew where the Death Eaters were right then… ten minutes away? Almost there?

When the gargoyle finally sprung aside again, both James and Lily darted forward. Silently, Dumbledore, adorned in a midnight blue dressing gown, beckoned them along, and once again they were flying along the hall. As they approached the front doors, Lily could see all of the teachers trailing towards them.

"Albus – what's going on here?" Demanded Slughorn, Potions Master.

"We are to be attacked," the Headmaster said, calmly. "Please, stay calm. We know not how many Death Eaters are coming, but we will probably not be enough. Because of this, as there are only fifteen of us, I would like – one of you – Iris, if you please – " –he gestured towards Professor Dramathe– "–go warn the seventh years. We shall need their assistance."

"Albus – are you sure?" Professor Hefty, Herbology professor, asked. "The students? They may– " he lowered his voice, "they may well be killed, Albus!"

"I am well aware of that fact, Albert." Dumbledore nodded, eyes nearly closed. "As will the students – I will make sure of that. What we all must comprehend is that we are in times of war – all defenses are necessary to hold out against attacks. Off you go, Iris."

With a reassuring glance at Lily, the Divination professor bustled off towards the student dormitories.

"Well then," the old Headmaster continued. "If you would, er, prepare yourself for battle, perhaps?" He surveyed the professors' states of disarray, from being aroused mid-slumber. "Miss Evans." Dumbledore turned to the Head Girl. "Someone is required to pop off to the Owlery and alert the Ministry." His blue eyes, devoid of any kind of twinkle, bore into hers, grim but reassuring. "If you would, please, Lily?"

"Yes, sir," Lily replied. "But… I'll come back and help you–"

"Of course! Now, off you trot!"

James' eyes caught hers for a moment, and had she been in any other situation, she would have spent hours trying to understand the look in them. However, in the current state, it was out of her mind in seconds, and was replaced by racing, rampant thoughts on the Death Eaters. It felt like hours since Mr Flourish's arrival, and who knew how long it took the feeble old man to journey from Hogsmeade?

It was still pouring rain when Lily mounted the outdoor stone stairs leading up to the avian tower. Each stair had accumulated a small puddle, and Lily concentrated on avoiding the dampness as much as possible. Glancing up, she paused in horror.

A flock of black-cloaked individuals had just come into view, gliding out from behind the Owlery tower and along the shores of the Black Lake in an almost unnatural manner. Gasping, she began to clatter up the steps, silently counting the Death Eaters as she went – there had to be at least twenty-five! _Don't worry,_ she told her self – _with all the teachers plus the seventh years – we have more_. But still, an immeasurable feeling of dread and fear welled up inside of her, emanating from her very core – these people were evil! They would not hesitate to kill her…

As if reading her mind, one of the hooded figures halted, and jerked its head towards where Lily was standing, petrified. She could see the Death Eater's head from her position, and another chord of trepidation rang in her as she saw a white, skull-like mask covered its face.

It raised its right arm commandingly – pointing at her. A few more of its comrades stopped moving as well. She was frozen, heart pounding in her mouth.

Over the splattering of raindrops, Lily heard the first Death Eater cry the Imperius curse as it thrust its hand in her direction. Finally able to move, Lily ducked behind the wall of stone that served as a rail for the Owlery stair; a beam of light whistled over her head and smashed into the wall behind her. She was so close to the Owlery door; if only she could make it… just a little farther…

It was extremely difficult to inch up the slippery stairs whilst in a crouching position, so Lily dropped to her hands and knees and began towards the wooden door of the Owlery.

"_Imperio!_" The Death Eater bellowed again. "_Imperio!_" Both curses bit the wall behind Lily and sent large pieces of stone flying everywhere and tumbling down the stairs.

Finally she reached the door; she rose a little, head bobbing above the low wall; she had to make this quick – the bloody door was locked!

Sinking down again, she fished her wand out of her cloak pocket and hurriedly whispered "_Alohomora!_" There was a click and Lily reached a hand out to open the door; it opened; she stumbled towards it.

"_Stupefy!_" The hex had been said by more than one voice – at least four had sent it towards where they believed Lily to be.

The low wall behind her exploded as it was struck by the multiple stupefying hexes. The force of the broken wall sent Lily sprawling through the door; she flung her hands out to soften her fall, but landed on her stomach and her jaw, which cracked at the impact with the stone floor.

The wind knocked out of her, and her jaw throbbing with sudden intolerable pain, she carefully rolled over to see the sturdy door had slammed shut behind her. She began to clench her teeth, but ceased as tears of pain sprung to her eyes – her jaw was broken.

Slowly, she crawled towards the door, and tentatively began to push it open. She could see about half an inch of outside when the door halted, thudding against something solid. She tried again, but it only continued to be blocked.

Sighing, Lily reached inside her robes for her wand… the pocket was empty.

_No!_

Frantically, she searched every pocket on her robes, until giving up, slumping against the wall. She had had her wand out already, to open the locked door… so where was it?

She got on her feet and, ignoring the increasing pain in her chin, examined every corner of the dirty Owlery. The snoozing owls ruffled their feathers in their sleep. She found no wand, only a stack of parchment, a tatty old quill and an almost empty inkpot.

Resigned, she stumbled back to the door and, closing her left eye, peered out the crack of an opening. All she could see was the staircase, reaching past her line of vision before it entered the school. But – there was her wand – six or seven steps down. She must have flung it aside unconsciously when she had been thrown forwards. She let out a huge breath. The door was blocked; her jaw was broken; she had no wand.

Filled with sudden fury, she lifted herself up, strode a few paces away from the door and with a strangled yell that sent pain shooting through her jaw, threw herself wildly against the door. It moved, _maybe_, half a centimeter.

_Bloody hell, bloody hell and bloody HELL!_ She screamed inside her head, cradling her jaw as she sank down once more. To add to her troubles, her entire left side hurt like Merlin as well.

Turning a little to the left, she could see her wand again, gleaming tantalizingly as it lay beneath the rain. _Accio wand_… she thought bitterly. She had mastered simple nonverbal spells – the summoning charm included – near the end of sixth year. But nonverbal, _wandless_ spells… were they even possible? Lily had seen Dumbledore do them on occasion… but that was _Dumbledore_. In no way did Lily compare herself to him.

The Death Eaters must have moved on by now… probably nearing the front doors…

Those masks, skeletal and gaunt, floated before her mind's eye. If those were Voldemort's followers, Lily did not wish in any way to see the so-called Dark Lord in person.

She hoped that Dumbledore had managed to prepare her peers for battle in time. Most of her year was bright – with a few exceptions, of course, she thought, Pettigrew coming to mind among others.

Suddenly her original purpose came back to her, and she once again stood up. This time, she crossed the room, selected a piece of parchment and began to write an urgent note to the Ministry of Magic. Once it contained all the pertinent information, she woke an owl and sent it off.

From where she was standing in the Owlery window, she could see a good part of the Black Lake, the Whomping Willow and the swaying trees of the Forbidden Forest.

She knew she couldn't let her jaw stay in its present state. Reaching down, she ripped the hem off her black robes with a savage jerk. She wrapped the strand of fabric around her chin and tied it at the top of her head. She knew she looked like a right chuff, but it felt a little better – took some of the pain away. Plus, she knew she had taken Muggle Studies for something, if not for rudimentary bandaging.

She sighed.

She was stuck in the Owlery.

Lily was never one to be inactive for long periods of time. Sitting down beneath the window, Lily began to think on current issue:

First there was Narcissa Black – Malfoy, as she was soon to be. Lily had heard just how horrid Sirius' parents were, so she could imagine what Narcissa and Bellatrix's mother and father were like. They would have to be horribly insensitive and power-thirsty to bind their one-year old daughter to the Malfoys' newborn, fifteen years ago. The Malfoys were one of the most respected of wizarding families, up there with the Potters, the Bones', the Zabinis and Prewetts. The Blacks, of course, were in their ranks as well, but Lily had done her reading, and found out that the Blacks had had a power-seeking, restless history. Also, from what she had gathered, of madness.

Five or six generations back, Morphion Black, who was never mentioned, had quietly disappeared from any newspaper articles or literature of any kind before he turned 30; Sirius, Naricissa and Bellatrix's grandfather; and most recently… Sirius' own mother. None of the information on Mrs Black was in any book Lily had read. Only after reading several books on pureblood families and hearing Sirius describe his mother's behaviour had it struck Lily that she was insane. It had stemmed, she was sure, from the famed inbreeding in purebloods, which also accounted for Sirius' and Bellatrix's almost identical regal noses, and Lucius Malfoy's long ice-blonde hair. But who, Lily wondered, in this next generation, would be struck mad? Narcissa? Regulus? Sirius? Or… Bellatrix?

Lily sat in the Owlery for a long time. It had been almost ten when Dumbledore had sent her off to send a letter, and by the ticking watch on her wrist, the current time was half past twelve. For all she knew, all her friends and professors could be murdered, Death Eaters roaming the school at will – but of course it wasn't like that. Dumbledore was there after all – everything would be okay, as long as he was around.

The rain was still pounding on the roof when Lily finally heard a sound on the stairs. A step; several steps. Someone was ascending the stairs.

Lily stood up, heart pounding, body ready. For what she was not sure, as she had no wand and a broken jaw. There was a shifting, rumbling sound as whoever it was levitated the pile of stone blocking the door. The owls above her were wide-awake now, and were slowly flying about with no direct purpose, and as Lily had sat in their abode, had occasionally soared down to examine her. Now as she stood, stiff, hands ready, the owls returned to their perches and turned their feathery heads towards the door as well.

With a bang the door flew open, and it was no friendly figure standing there, wand pointing directly at Lily.

She slowly backed away as the black-cloaked Death Eater took a step into the room, white mask shining in the dark room.

"Thought you'd get away, did you?" The figure hissed in what was clearly a male voice. "Thought we wouldn't remember you here, Mudblood?"

Lily was now against the windowsill; her hands scrabbled to hold the jutting sill. As she clutched onto it, she desperately went over her options:

Stay there and face the Death Eater – wandless.

Try to make a break for it and run through the door behind the man.

Or, her serious option, somehow jump out the window behind her. It wasn't _that_ far, really, and the natural magic within her would hopefully protect her from death.

"The Dark Lord may want you alive," the man continued as he took a few more steps toward her. "But _I_ do not – and I can easily tell him that you became irrationally desperate and took your own life before I could stop you." The man grinned maniacally under his mask. "He has no way of knowing, of course, that your wand, as a matter of fact, is lying on the steps outside at the moment – Mudblood!"

Underneath her cloak, Lily slowly slid her foot up so it was almost up to the windowsill and very gently shifted herself so she was sitting on it. A few more seconds of this crazy man talking to himself and she would be okay – as okay as one could be falling from a tower.

But it was too late – the Death Eater raised his wand even higher and tilted it down so it was directed at her chest.

"This is the end, Lily Evans!" The man cried happily. "_Avad_-" Lily shut her eyes and hurled herself forward, toward the man, hoping to duck his killing curse, but before he could finish the fatal words, there was a deafening rustle and the air erupted with hooting and screeching. A second later, there was a loud cry of "Stupefy!" and there was a thud, followed by a banging of the door and running footsteps over the Owlery floor.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. The air was filled with owls, swirling around Lily like a snow flurry, and James was kneeling beside her, shaking her.

"Lily!"

The Death Eater lay face down in front of her.

"Lily! Are you okay?"

Stiffly she sat up. James' face was flushed and a long, bleeding cut ran down from the corner of this eye to his jaw line. His hair was sticking up even more that usual. Wordlessly, Lily leaned over and threw her arms around him, shoving her face into his shoulder. Her rustic bandage for her jaw had obviously become untied, as she felt no cloth under her chin, only pain.

A small hoot sounded quite close to her ear, and she pulled away from James to see a petite snowy owl fluttering over James' shoulder.

"They all, er, kind of attacked the Death Eater," James said quietly. "They swooped at him before I even got it in my head to Stupefy him…"

Lily held out her hand, and the small owl wafted over onto her outstretched palm. "Thank you," she whispered. It hooted softly, big black eyes wide and unblinking. Lily could almost see herself reflected in them.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked suddenly, urgently, mind coming back to her as she turned to James. "Did we… win?"

"Yes, well…" he paused. "Pretty much."

"Oh, no! What happened?" Lily knew by now that when James said _pretty much_ he meant something horrid.

"Well… Giddy, er, got hit rather badly – but that's all! And he'll be okay! I mean, Madame Pomfrey said so!"

"Are all the Death Eaters gone?" Lily questioned. He nodded. "Then what are we waiting for?" She cried, jumping up. "Come on!"

* * *

_A/N: Keep in mind, I only got 4 reviews, so it is all thanks to MarisAlexia that I am updating now... all thanks to her and her incessant PMs... love you, MA:). I think I may just update whenever I feel like it now... either five reviews or... whenever I feel like it! If I don't feel like posting next Saturday, then, well, I won't post:P. The next chapter needs some work before it is even uploaded, so yeah. We'll see.__  
Preview: Hmmm... what does James do when he finally sees Lily after her being sequestered in the hospital wing? And how does Malfoy react when he sees Narcissa talking to Lily Evans, or 'Mudblood', in his opinion? And what does James do when he sees Malfoy's reaction? So many questions... don't worry, they will all be answered in the upcoming chapter!!  
_


	11. Chapter 11: The Slug Club Party

_Scheduled Post: 20 January 2007 (0)  
Actual Post: 23 April 2007. AAAGH I'm sooo sorry!  
_

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_A/N: Finally something real! ...You'll see what I'm talkin' about :P. Anyywayys, now that I am back in school I feel as though I need to start writing this again, so... we'll see how that goes. I've started two new stories over on fictionpressdotcom (like fanfiction but original stuff), so that is taking up some more time. I've written about 4700 words of one (in one go! Took me just over an hour!!) and over 5800 of the other one... check it out! My penname is the same over there :D.  
_

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**-Chapter 11-**  
_The Slug Club Party_

There were no classes the next day, and Lily was held in the infirmary by Madame Pomfrey for the entire day. Fortunately, Gideon Prewett was there as well, and as Lily hadn't really talked to him in a while, they took the time to catch up.

At first, it hurt to even talk. After James had come through the door of the Owlery, she had had so much adrenaline running through her veins that the pain caused by her broken jaw hadn't even reached the surface of her consciousness, but the next morning when she woke up it was aching like Merlin.

During the morning, all of their friends came to see them, and kept them company. They informed them that the Death Eater James had Stupefied had been taken by a group of Aurors to Azkaban, the wizarding prison. The Ministry employees had showed up only a few minutes after Lily had gotten to the scene of the battle.

However, after an invigorating, rich lunch, Madame Pomfrey put Gideon back to sleep with a draught to help quicken his healing process, which was major, as a Killing Curse had bounced off a mirror and reflected onto him – not a minor injury.

So she was lying there, silently fretting about the schoolwork they all would have to catch up on the next day of classes, when the only friend who hadn't come by yet quietly sat on the empty bed beside her. The night before they had gotten separated as soon as Madame Pomfrey had expertly spotted Lily's injury.

"Thanks…" she muttered.

"Pardon?" James asked genuinely.

"Thank you," she repeated. "If it weren't for you…" She stopped.

"It almost looked like you were going to throw yourself out the window when I got there." He frowned.

"Yeah – I was."

"You could have gotten yourself killed!" He growled, leaning towards her, arms outstretched.

"Well, you, too!" She hissed back, meeting him partway and clutching to him tightly.

"Evans – I–"

"Lily," she interrupted him, finally, still clinging to him like she hadn't seen him for years.

"Lily?"

"My name is Lily, James," she said, voice muffled in his shoulder. "Please… call me Lily."

He pulled away a little. His hazel eyes were very warm, and had a strange look in them. "Lily?"

She opened her mouth; but then his hand was on her cheek; his breath was warm on her face.

She closed her eyes.

Before she could take a breath, his lips were on hers, soft, tender and still. One of his big hands was still on her cheek, but the other was running through her messy red hair. Caught up, she grabbed the back of his robes tightly and pressed her shoulder to his in an awkward, amazing way.

"James?"

Lily froze against James' lips, then violently jerked backwards, lying back down, eyes wide.

"James?" Gideon repeated, leaning to get a better look at his red-haired friend. "Lily? Are you OK?"

Lily couldn't speak. She couldn't move. All she could see was James… who was slowly backing away from her bed. Before he got to the door, he spun around and fled.

"Lily?" Gideon asked again, and then sighed. "No one ever tells me anything!"

-OOO-

Madame Pomfrey almost had to chain Lily to her bed to keep her in the hospital wing that night, but there was no stopping the Head Girl the next morning as she was up way before classes began, dressed and out the door. No one was up at that hour, so Lily's flight through the halls toward the Gryffindor common room was uninterrupted. There was only one person she could discuss this with, and Lily had no qualms about storming into the seventh years girls dorm and rousing her best friend.

"Whirling dervish," she muttered to the drowsy Fat Lady, stumbled through the portrait hole – and banged right into one James Potter, who was dressed in pajama bottoms only, and in the middle of pulling a T-shirt over his head.

"Lily–" he began, head popping out of the T-shirt's neck.

"Yeah, uh – bye," she mumbled, eyes locked on his bare chest.

"Wait – Lily!" He chased after her as she headed towards the girls' staircase, but as soon as he set foot on the steps, they turned into a slippery slide and he fell down, arms and head still tangled awkwardly in his shirt. Before she could fall all the way down, Lily clutched the rail and leaped onto the landing. For a moment, she turned around, and looked into James' eyes, but then she spun on her heel and burst into the seventh year girls' dorm.

"Estrella!" She cried. "Come here!"

Her best friend, still asleep, awoke with a thud as Lily pulled her off her bed.

"Who – Lily?" She mumbled. "What do you want?"

Ignoring her dreary protests, Lily began dragging Estrella by her armpits out of the room. By now Alice and the other two girls had woken up, and were staring at the two girls curiously. Lily had managed to haul Estrella through the door before the girl _really_ woke up.

"Okay, okay!" She yelled. "Let me go! What is _wrong,_ Lils? And it better be a damn good reason, too, because–"

"He kissed me, Strelli."

"I'm going back to – wait." Estrella narrowed her eyes at Lily. "_What?_"

"Ssssh!" Lily shushed. "Come here…" Lily dragged the blonde into the spacey loo. "He kissed me."

"What? When? How? Where? Tell all!" Estrella exclaimed. "At least if I'm not getting any doesn't mean that you can't, I guess–"

"He kissed me," Lily repeated, ignoring her friend's last comment. "Last night, in the hospital wing."

"Okay. Okay." Estrella nodded. "Got it. But… why aren't you with him now, having a snog-fest?"

"Actually, he kissed me and then ran off, quite quickly."

"Did you slap him or something?"

"No! What makes you think I did _that_?"

"Well… you seem to be rather confused about your emotions, my dear Lily," Estrella began, settling down for a good advice session. "You decide you love James – but then you do nothing about it! What are you thinking?"

"I don't know…" Lily muttered. "But – I didn't know what to do yesterday… I mean, he just kissed me, all of a sudden! And then ran away!"

"True." Estrella nodded. "And there was nothing that you did to scare him off?"

"I didn't slap him, if you're still onto that!" Lily cried indignantly, but Estrella only rolled her eyes. "Well… he was kissing me, and then Giddy said his name, and we both kind of jerked back, and I lay down, and then he began to back away, and… that's it."

"He left."

"He left."

"How bizarre," Estrella pondered, getting up and strolling over to peer at herself in the mirror. She was clad in boys' plaid boxer shorts and a small black tank top, and her short blonde hair was attractively wild around her sleep-heavy face. She bit her lip. "I don't know, Lily… maybe I should talk to him–"

"Don't!" Lily exclaimed. "Don't do that," she continued a bit calmer.

"Why not?" Estrella asked, sending her friend a curious look.

"I… just want to pretend it never happened."

"Never happened? I – I don't understand you, Lily."

"I don't understand myself," Lily admitted.

Estrella took a seat beside Lily, looking down at her seriously. "You want to pretend… it never happened?"

"At least until I'm ready."

"You… Will you ever be ready, Lily?"

"That's the thing. I don't know." Lily got up, wandered over to the sink and turned on the faucet. "I'm not myself, Strelli! Usually the first thing I would have asked you this morning was… I don't' know – did you do your homework? And ever since James kissed me, I haven't even thought about the attack on the school, or Narcissa…" She stared at herself in the mirror, reminding her of a time exactly a month ago when she had also been looking in a mirror. That time she had been happy because of her realization of her love for James... Now her huge green eyes were bright with questions. "All I can think about is _him_. And I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing…"

-OOO-

The next few days in class were relaxed, as everyone was trying to deal with the Death Eater attack in their own way.

Before lunch was Divination, in which Narcissa was sitting in her old spot, leaving Lily, Estrella and Emmeline with an empty chair at their table. Lily felt too tired and worn to pursue the Slytherin on a merry chase around the classroom, and she had no idea what to say to her if she did manage to corner her. If something were really wrong with her, Lily decided, she would tell her. Otherwise – she'd just let her live her life how she wanted to.

-OOO-

Every time Lily closed her eyes, she saw the image of James backing away from her after kissing her. Too, _too_ many questions ran through her head. Why had he done that? What was wrong with her that had made him so perverse to her? That look on his face… the look on his face had been a frequent on for him, back when she had known him as Potter; back when the only sentence she had used his name in was "No, Potter, I will _not_ go out with you, for the millionth time! Now piss off." Merlin, he had been so trying back then… why would he have wanted to go out with _her_?

He was a guy who could get a date with any girl he wanted – was that why he had been after her? The one girl he couldn't get a 'yes' from? A challenge? It… couldn't be the same now, could it? Could he have only been pretending to be her friend?

_No!_ She told herself. _That was too clichéd_. But… it was possible. And now that he'd kissed her, he was done. He'd conquered the Lily Evans – onto the next one.

Lily was in the Great Hall having lunch as she pondered and realized all this. Putting her head down, she hid her face in her hands, trying to disguise the fact that there were rivers of tears streaming down her cheeks.

-OOO-

Lily had herself thoroughly convinced that her assumptions were correct, easily forgetting about all the times she and James had shared in the last three months. Whenever she spotted his dark head bobbing in the corridor ahead of her, she yanked Estrella – who was always by her side, thank Merlin – into the nearest room until he had passed by. She had changed the patrol schedule so that Emmeline was on shift with James, whereas Lily partnered herself up with Remus. In her classes with him, she had Estrella sat a few tables away from usual, so that she wouldn't have to sit with him… wouldn't have to see what was wrong with her.

"Have you ever considered that maybe you didn't _do_ anything?" Estrella questioned Lily one day after they had ducked into the empty Charms classroom after they had spied James on their way to lunch. "Or maybe both of you are just confused?"

Lily was silent.

"Lily… I think you should talk to him," Estrella said. "Just… ask what's going on, you know."

"No, I don't know, and I do _not_ want to talk to him even a little bit!" Lily exclaimed. "Let's go – he's gone."

"Yeah," Estrella muttered. "And so are you."

-OOO-

It was a few weeks before Christmas before Voldemort made his presence known once more. At the breakfast table, Lily had gone back to her old regime of strategically placing herself the furthest away from James as possible. She was calmly helping herself to some bacon when the morning post came. As usual, there was nothing for her. As her parents didn't own an owl, being Muggles, usually Lily sent them a quick note every week with her feeble news, and received a similar letter back each weekend.

"Oh, that's for me?" Emmeline, beside Lily, asked an owl who had landed gracefully in front of her. Emmeline had taken to sitting at the Gryffindor table more and more since the beginning of the year, since her closest friends were Gryffindor. The owl bobbed its head, and then stuck out its leg holding the scroll of parchment on it.

"From the Ministry," Lily commented. "Curious."

Emmeline untied the ribbon keeping it closed and began to read.

"What does it – " Lily began, but was interrupted by Emmeline letting out a broken gasp and dropping her letter; her elegant hand went to cover her mouth. Immediately Lily snatched up the letter in order to know what it was that made her serene friend so shocked and upset. She needed only to see the first few lines to understand Emmeline's duress.

_Dear Miss Vance,_

_We are bereaved to have to inform you of the loss of your parents, Mr Timothy and Mrs Abigail Vance, on an assignment yesterday at an undisclosable location. Their lives were very valuable to us here at the Ministry or magic, and we offer out most sincere apologies for this unfortunate event_…

Lily should have seen it coming. Immediately, she tossed the letter across the table to Gideon, and placed an arm around Emmeline's slender shoulders, pulling her close.

"Emmeline, oh, Em," she crooned, momentarily forgetting about her own insubstantial problems. Gideon had come around the table, and was sitting beside Emmeline on the bench.

"Come here, Em, love," he told her stoically, gently taking his long-time crush out of Lily's arms. Sobbing, she leaned heavily on the tall, blonde boy's chest.

"Oh, Gideon," Lily heard her murmur. "What am I going to do?"

"I'll be here," he whispered back. "Don't worry, Emmeline."

"But – Gideon…"

"Emmeline, I won't let anything happen to you," Gideon said earnestly. By now the whole group had gone silent, allowing this exchange between the two to be peaceful. Emmeline pulled away a little, and looked up at Gideon, who was in turn gazing down at her soulfully.

"I love you, Emmeline," he declared softly. "You can count on me."

With another sob, Emmeline threw herself back into him, grasping him even tighter. Gideon looked down at her head with a fierce kind of love in his eyes, then slowly bent down and kissed her lovingly on the head.

"Wow," Estrella snorted quietly from Lily's other side. "They have got to be the most chaste couple in the entire school."

"That was a beautiful moment, Strelli," Lily countered. "You just completely ruined it for me."

"Well, I'm sorry!" Estrella rolled her eyes. "But it's true."

"You're just bitter," Lily told her gorgeous best friend. "It's not exactly as it your _getting any_ lately."

"Very true…" Estrella admitted. "Aren't I supposed to be some kind of goddess? That was what you guys were going on about, back in the beginning of the year? So why am I not snogging some random hot bloke at the moment?"

"Good question." Lily slumped forward.

Estrella looked at her redheaded friend. "Don't you hate it when you now exactly what your problem is, but you don't know how to fix it?"

Lily looked at her best friend. "Black," she said at the exact time Estrella said, "Potter." They both paused.

"We appear to know each others problems," Lily commented.

"Hey, at least we have each other." Estrella put her arm around Lily. "Right? We don't need any stupid boys. Right? …Lily, right?"

"Very funny, Strelli," Lily chuckled. "We don't need any stupid guys – good one!"

"We need them, don't we?"

"D'you think?"

"I try to leave that part of life to you…"

"We're not a very brainy bunch at the moment, are we, then?" Lily commented.

"We need to do something, dearie," Estrella told Lily. "Something to solve out problems."

"But what?"

"Yes, that is the question."

"You're now supposed to come up with some brilliant ideas…"

"Hey, you're the genius here."

"Not when it comes to the opposite sex."

"I've lost my touch, as you've been so kind to point out a few moments ago."

-OOO-

The next morning in Potions, a note lay await in front of Lily usual chair.

_Your presence is required at the Slug Club's Annual Christmas Party._ Lily groaned. It would be _no fun at all_, she knew. Maybe she could skip it – she glanced back down. At the end of the note it stated _Presence Mandatory – excused only with note_. No skiving off this time. Lily's life was feeling quite pathetic at the moment.

Fortunately, Remus, Sirius, Emmeline and Fabian had been invited as well (James, too, but Lily wasn't certain if that was fortunate or not). The six of them showed up together at the Potions master's office on the evening of the 14 of December. Slughorn had the place all decorated up for the festive party, and long tables laden down with goodies took precedence in the centre of the room.

Unusually Slughorn had not made it essential for members to bring a guest; in fact he almost forbid it, so Emmeline was not happy. Only a close friend could tell however, because the only sign was a light wrinkle of her brow and a sad shine in her patient eyes. She and Gideon were in love, no questioning it, and it, at times, made Lily feel downright dismal to see the two together, knowing that something wrong with her kept her from having a real loving relationship like theirs.

"Don't worry, Em," she consoled. "It's only mandatory to stay an hour."

"I know," Emmeline laughed. "But what an impossible amount of time that seems from this side of it!"

"Giddy's wonderful, isn't he?" Lily smiled affectionately.

"Unbelievably," Emmeline gushed genuinely. "He's been so… strong – and – and he's my life, Lily!"

"I know, Em–"

"Ah! Inter-house cooperation!" Slughorn boomed, coming upon them in his startling Father Christmas outfit. A crown of holly lay on the professor's rapidly balding cranium. "A lovely sight!"

Lily knew not to encourage the man by pointing out that Emmeline had been her friend since first year.

"Good evening, professor," Emmeline answered politely, giving a small smile.

"Yes, yes, indeed, good evening, indeed, Miss Vance!" He chuckled. "Now if you want some true inter-house cooperation, imagine if you two went over to talk to Narcissa Black! She's sitting there, by the fire." He lowered his voice. "She's Slytherin, you know. Oh – and also – she skipped a year. Unbelievably brilliant, that young lady, no doubt about it!"

"That's, er, lovely, professor," Lily grimaced. "Thank you."

"Good evening, ladies – ah, hello, Mr Potter, sorry, must be off! Stomach's making its demands, unfortunately!" As Slughorn blundered off, the boy he'd been greeting skipped out of his way, and ended up directly in front of Lily.

"Oh–" she gasped, and stepped to the left at the same time he did, and then they both went to the right. They repeated this awkward dance a few times, until Lily stopped moving.

"Excuse me," she said firmly, ignoring his attempts at speech. He moved quietly to the side and she took off, almost running. Unconsciously she ended up beside the armchair that Slughorn had gestured towards a few moments ago.

"Narcissa!" She cried, but the girl flinched and a hand flew up to cover her cheek. In a flash, Lily remembered what was going on with Narcissa – it had slipped her mind, as many things did when she saw James. "Narcissa, really–" Lily said quietly. "We _can_ help you, you know. Or – or you could tell Dumbledore – I mean, he can do _something_ – what's on your cheek?"

Narcissa blinked and turned away, both hands now on her face. Lily could see something – something that didn't belong.

"What is it?" Lily demanded, moving so she could see better.

"Lily – go away!" Narcissa hissed bitterly.

"Don't be silly." Lily frowned. "Show me." She seized the girl's wrist and pulled, finally revealing the dark, painful bruise on Narcissa's pale cheek. "I–" Lily gaped. "Who did this?" She whispered, fury building up inside her like a tidal wave. "_Who_?"

"You've had your show, Evans," a cold, silky voice said. "You can go now."

"_I_ can go?" Lily spun around to face the much taller Malfoy. "I'm afraid I cannot."

"You cannot?" Malfoy sneered. "Why would that be, Evans?"

"I simply cannot, as that would leave Narcissa in the company of you only, and," Lily paused. "Frankly, I would not wish that upon my worst enemy."

Malfoy's icy grey eyes narrowed. "Why you–" he began, but Bellatrix came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Now, now, Lucius." She cast her gaze to her small sister, in the armchair, and Lily, who still held Narcissa's wrist. "What's going on here?" Her eyes swung back to Narcissa. "Well, sister dear? You don't really want to have anything to do with…" Bellatrix, eyes hooded, held a long pause… "…_Her_, do you?"

"I – I–" Narcissa stuttered.

"Unhand my sister, Evans," Bellatrix snapped. Her boyfriend, a large, rather dim Slytherin named Rodolphus Lestrange, had come to stand beside her, a solid, threatening presence.

Lily let go of Narcissa's wrist.

"Don't let her bully you," Lily whispered, rather hypocritically but sincerely.

"Well?" Bellatrix continued. It seemed as though the music had stopped. "Cissy?"

"Er–" Narcissa stammered again, looking desperately at her surroundings. "Bella, please. Please, why are you doing this?"

"Why are _you_ doing _this_, Narcissa?" Malfoy growled, gesturing at Lily. "Well? What's wrong with you?"

"_Nothing_!" Lily burst, impatiently losing her temper. "Nothing's wrong with her – you're the ones with problems!"

All three Slytherins eyed her bemusedly.

"We have no problems," hissed Malfoy.

"There's one right there," Lily pointed out cheerfully. "You have no faults, then?"

"You filthy Mudblood!" Malfoy cried, lunging forward, hands outstretched.

Someone seized Lily's arm and yanked her out of the way, leaving Malfoy to heave himself unceremoniously onto the floor.

"Malfoy," James said, looking down at the icily handsome fifth year sprawled on the floor. "Please refrain from using such foul language in the presence of ladies."

Malfoy growled incomprehensively.

"What was that, old chap?" James asked, leaning forward exaggeratedly, hand cupped around his here. "Didn't quite catch that–"

"I _said_, you are no better than Evans! You're a blood traitor, Potter!" Malfoy sprang to his feet.

"Obviously, you and I have different views on what exactly a _blood traitor_ is, Malfoy," James told him, hazel eyes lighting up with a strange but wonderful fire Lily had never seen there before.

In the corner of her eye, Lily saw Lestrange lifting his hand.

"James!" She gasped.

Barely glancing away from Malfoy, James aimed his wand at the large boy and muttered a curse that left Lestrange pawing at his lips unable to speak.

Bellatrix put her hand on his chin. "Rodolphus!" She snapped. "What are you doing, you fool!"

James glanced at her, then back at Malfoy. "I suggest you leave, Malfoy."

"I'll never take orders from you, traitor," Malfoy stalked forward again, but Lily saw someone over his shoulder and cheerfully said, "Good evening, Professor Slughorn!"

Malfoy froze, face ugly with a scowl.

"What's going on here, then, m'boys?" The overbearing professor asked, an unusually intuitive look on his fleshy face.

"Erm – inter-house coop – communication, professor," Lily beamed. Voicing the word 'cooperation' seemed a little bit too much in this situation.

"Is that all?" Slughorn insisted, furry eyebrows creeping upwards again. Lily could hear the music once more. "Boys?"

"Yes, sir," James muttered, as Malfoy nodded grudgingly.

"Brilliant, brilliant, wouldn't want two of my best students in detention, now, would we?" He chortled, patting both Malfoy and Lily on the back forcefully.

Once the professor was gone, Bellatrix, who had been attempting at prying Lestrange's mouth open, captured Malfoy's sleeve and dragged both boys off.

"This isn't over, Mudblood!" Malfoy whispered dangerously.

James lifted his wand threateningly once again, and Malfoy closed his mouth, glaring at them maliciously.

"James," Lily said, turning to him. He looked at the ground, fiddling with his wand. "Thank you–" she continued. "I mean – thank you."

He pocketed his wand and raised his head. His eyes connected with hers; she couldn't look away this time.

"I'm sorry, Lily," he said calmly, almost tiredly.

"James–" she stammered.

He gave her a partly regretful look, turned and walked away.

* * *

_A/N: So... yeah. Topsy-turvy chapter, that one.  
Sorry, can't give you a preview of the next chapter because I haven't written it yet! Well! That is weeeird, but true. Will work on that, I promise, and try to post it next weekend... maybe. Depends on reviews here, people. All I can say is that the next chapter is Christmas vacation, at least the first part of it :)  
And oh my goodness this has been forEVER! My computer is now dead, as in gone, as in not working anymore so I am working on buying my own laptop... grrr. So much money, and I am so very bad at saving. But don't worry, it will come! Weird thing is, it has been so long that I barely recognize my own writing. I had to make many changes... )  
_


	12. Chapter 12: Mistakes and Mapdrawing

_Scheduled Post: Umm... sometime in April/May...  
Actual Post: 10 May 2007_

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_A/N: Hey, look... I actually met my post deadline!! Haha, if you can call it that...  
Anyways... this chapter is really boring so I apologize :P  
Last chapter got 4 reviews... impressive... NOT!  
**VJL**: Very well put, very well put indeed...  
**BluntlyHonest**: Yes, and it (waiting for James and Lily to get together) will be longer than 11 chapters, too... perhaps more like... 20 chapters (or more). Aaah, don't kill me.  
__ Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize; all that you do belongs to JK Rowling._

* * *

**-Chapter 12-**  
_Mistakes and Map-drawing_

For a few days, Lily managed to only focus on the fact that James had called her Lily, that he had not gone back to Evans – that may mean he hadn't completely reverted back to being Bighead Potter. But as he continued to pretend she was not existing, she did the same to him, and it was obvious to a sorrowful Lily that he had moved on. Determined to not let her weakness show, she resolved to do the same.

Some days after the Slug Club party, and a few days before Christmas holidays, Estrella and Lily entered the Transfiguration classroom and sat down at a table for four near the front. Seeing as she was over James Potter, Lily did not even glance in his direction once.

"Hello, Estrella," she heard Remus say, and Lily turned to him as he took a seat beside her, brows knit in a small frown.

"Are you… okay?" Lily asked him carefully. She hadn't memorized the full moon schedule yet, but she was pretty sure that Remus' worst fear was approaching soon.

"Oh, I'm fine, if that is what you mean." He smiled gratefully, but then took a look at his usual table, and Lily couldn't help but follow his glance.

James was still seated at the table, but was scowling up at Sirius, who had rose and was talking animatedly, waving his arms about. James repeatedly shook his head, until Sirius threw up his arms, gathered his books and traced Remus' footsteps to Lily's table.

"What a brickhead!" Sirius proclaimed. "I'm not sure why I'm friends with him at times."

"That would be because you are even more of a brickhead than he," Remus supplied briskly.

"What was he doing?" Lily asked, ever the casual. She leafed through a bunch of parchment, feigning indifference.

"What was whom doing?" replied Sirius, handsome face arranged in an innocently curious expression.

"The person you're talking about," Lily said, peering at a roll of parchment, but not seeing her own neat handwriting.

"Whom are we talking about?"

"Well, whom _are_ you talking about?"

"Whom do _you_ think we are talking about?"

"_Sirius_…"

"That's my name, not my manner."

"You're right, you should be named Ludicrous."

"You injure me, dear Lily."

"Oh, please."

"You know I have a sensitive nature. I cannot fend for myself against such poisonous barbs."

"_Sirius_–"

"Miss Evans, Mr Black," McGonagall gave them a stern look. "I expect better from you, as Head Girl."

"Yes, professor," Lily replied.

"The lesson has started, Black," McGonagall told Sirius. "Where is your parchment and quill?"

"Er – here." Sirius smiled charmingly whilst scrambling in his book bag. "Evans–" he hissed. "Chuck us a roll of parchment." McGonagall raised her eyebrows, but didn't remove any house points, only moved away to the next table.

"Here you go, Black," Lily said scornfully. "My parchment. Only on loan, do you understand? With interest. Preferable paid back in cash, not parchment."

"You think you're _sooo_ witty, Evans," Sirius muttered, snatching the roll of parchment. "When really – when really–" He paused. "Er – when really, you _aren't_!"

"Oh, you know I have a sensitive nature, Black–"

"Do you _want_ to be smacked?"

"Sirius," Remus interrupted. "Lily. Enough!"

Chuckling, Lily turned her gaze towards the notes on the board and got to copying them down. It wasn't until much later that she realized that Sirius had never told her what James had done to make his best friends so disconsolate towards him.

-OOO-

Lily had an unfair amount of homework that evening, so she left supper early and headed back to the Common Room. She was just rounding the corner to the corridor that held the portrait of the Fat Lady, when she almost collided with a tall figure clad in midnight blue robes.

"Oh, professor," she gasped. "I'm sorry–"

"No worries, Miss Evans," Dumbledore smiled. "I'd been hoping to run into you – perhaps not in such a fashion, however. How are you faring?"

"Oh, I'm well, thank you–"

"And how is the Head Boy? You two are getting along marvelously well, I believe."

"Er…"

"Are you not, Miss Evans?"

"Er – of course, sir." Lily shuffled her feet guiltily. Everyone knew that Dumbledore knew _everything_. However, it seemed that Lily had found one fact that he had missed.

"I hope you know how much it matters to me that Mr Potter and you remain on speaking terms, Lily," Dumbledore said, all lightness and chattiness gone from his tone. "Especially as you are both members of the Order." Or perhaps he knew even more of the matter than Lily herself.

"I understand, professor," Lily said, gulping down the desire to burst everything wrong with her life to him.

"Excellent," he replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "Have a good evening, Lily."

"You, too, professor," Lily said quietly, feeling even more burdened down than before as she approached the Fat Lady.

"Oh, Lily," Dumbledore called from down the hall. She traced her footsteps back to his side. "The Christmas holidays are approaching," he remarked. "But so is a trying time for us in the Order."

"Sir?" she questioned.

"Lily, if I need you over the holidays, will you come?"

"Come, sir? You mean–"

"On Order business, yes. We live in a sheltered world here at Hogwarts – whatever the _Prophet_ chooses to publish is what we learn – however, I have learned that Voldemort is gaining power, rapidly and steadily. Earlier in the year I believe I mentioned that Lord Voldemort was holding a rather lot of Muggles in a mansion that once belonged to his late father."

"Yes, sir. Isn't that where Maxy – I mean, Professor McGonagall–"

"Yes, it is, Lily. But Professor McGonagall failed in her mission, and in a series of events that I shortsightedly didn't manage to foresee, she was ruthlessly killed." Dumbledore paused, eyes shining behind his glasses. "She gave up no information before her demise, thanks to her admirably strong mind and character, but Voldemort still resides in this mansion – the Riddle House. We are keeping a constant eye on the House, and we may need you and your friends to help us on this matter over the holidays." Dumbledore placed a hand on Lily's shoulder. "Would you be willing, Lily?"

"Yes – yes, sir," Lily replied. "Of course."

"Now, I shall allow you to return to your dormitory. It has been a trying time for you recently, I imagine," Dumbledore said, smiling, and then retreated down the hall.

Lily stood in the hall alone for some time, pondering over Dumbledore's words, until a portrait of a kindly witch inquired after her health.

"Yes, quite alright," she replied, shaking her head a little to clear it.

"You look as if you need a little chat, dearie," the witch continued. "Get a load off your mind."

"You're right," Lily exclaimed. "Thank you."

"Good luck, dearie!" The witch waved merrily after her as Lily, forgetting about her homework altogether, set off to the North Divination tower.

"Lily!" Professor Dramathe gasped when she opened the trapdoor at Lily's rap. "Come in, come in."

Gratefully, Lily scrambled up the ladder and into the Divination professor's classroom.

"Tea?" Dramathe asked, and began pouring before Lily nodded. "Now, what brings you all the way up here? Isn't it suppertime down in the Great Hall?"

"Yes," Lily admitted. "I wasn't that hungry."

"Do you want a biscuit?" Dramathe asked, holding out a tray.

"Thanks," Lily said, and took one. She was starving.

"So." Dramathe settled back into her overstuffed chair. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Lily put an innocent face on. "What do you–?"

"Lily, dear." Dramathe smiled. "There's a reason I'm Divination mistress and not Arithmancy. I may not have the Sight, but I am unusually perceptive. Something is wrong with your life."

Lily looked down at her hands.

"Is it a boy?" Dramathe asked kindly.

"It sounds so immature and girlish," Lily replied. "But yes."

"The boy in question wouldn't be our dear Head Boy, now, would he?"

Sheepishly, Lily nodded.

"What's the problem, then?"

Lily took a big breath and began describing her so-called relationship to the professor – from hating to tolerating, from liking to loving – and now, _the kiss_. After Lily stopped talking, there was a light pause as Professor Dramathe poured each of them more tea.

"There is not much about my youth," she began. "That I can compare with yours, Lily. I was never admired, never got good grades, I was an orphan, and I never had popular, handsome boys chasing after me. However, one thing that I can relate to is a lack of self-assurance." Dramathe took a long sip of tea. "You've made a mistake, Lily. Now that I am older than 17, I can say that with confidence. It's obvious to me that there has been a huge misunderstanding between you and James."

"Yeah," Lily laughed. "Yes."

"Shouldn't you try to fix your mistake?"

"But what am I supposed to do?"

"Dear, I can't tell you what to do, but I _can_ tell you to follow your heart. As clichéd and cheesy as it sounds, I mean it."

The problem was, Lily didn't really like what her heart told her to do.

She left her empty teacup in the Divination tower, bid farewell to Professor Dramathe, and finally headed towards the Gryffindor tower. The moment she scrambled through the portrait hole she was accosted by Sirius.

"Evans!"

"Hey, Sirius."

"Come here – here," Sirius said, towing her towards the fire. Sitting her down on a couch, he produced a folded parchment out of his pocket. "Look familiar?" he crowed, flapping it in her face.

"The map?" she asked, snatching it.

"Yeah – exactly." Sirius sat beside her. "Open it up, please."

Lily could still remember the silly password that James had told her because – well, because _James_ had told her. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good – who came up with that expression, anyway?" she asked as the ink lines began to spread, forming Hogwarts, to scale.

Sirius tapped himself on the chest. "Yours truly," he exclaimed proudly. "Anyways, we were stuck on a little something." He folded the map so only one section was showing.

"The girls' dormitories?" Lily laughed.

"Yeah. James said you would probably help… will you?"

"Yes, yes." Lily rolled her eyes. "Can I just draw it on here?" As Sirius nodded, she began sketching. "Sooo," she sang casually. "James, uh, recommended me for map-drawing?"

"Er – yeah–"

"Surprised he even remembered my name, the player."

"Don't too heavy on the quill, Evans. You'll make holes in the map – and what? Are you mixing him and me up?"

"No, I'm not. I know how selfish and uncaring James is without confusing him with you – because he is _so_ much worse than you."

"What do you _mean_, Lily?" Sirius burst out impatiently.

"Oh, never mind," she growled, putting the finishing touches on her portion of the Marauder's Map. "There – is that good?"

"Yes, but you've missed a spot," Sirius remarked, observing the map.

"I have? Where?"

"Not sure, but it's probably a whole room – the Sirius Black fan clubhouse." Lily loved Sirius for being able to drop subjects without questions.

"Oh, my, you're right! How could I?" Lily quickly drew in a large square and labeled it accordingly. She then put in a smaller square within it, against one wall.

"What's that?" Sirius asked, pointing to the smaller square.

"The Sirius Black shrine. Every fan club needs one."

"I think we're missing another shrine on this map," Sirius said, and unfolded it so the boys' dorm was visible. In the room labeled seventh year boys dorm, he drew a small square and on it wrote: _James' shrine to Lily_.

"Very funny, Sirius," Lily mumbled, head down. "But we all know its not going to happen."

"Hey," he said softly. "What's going on, Lily?"

"Nothing," she sobbed. "I can't believe I'm bloody _crying_!"

"Nah, it doesn't matter," Sirius told her, putting an arm about her shoulder. "We'll get this sorted, 'kay?"

"You don't even know what happened!" exclaimed Lily wetly.

"I know," he beamed. "That's most likely why I am being so optimistic about the whole issue. I would carry you upstairs, but I cannot get up to your dormitories without landing on my arse. However, don't worry. I shall keep by your side at all times until this mess is sorted – except for when you enter the girls' loo. That would be fun for me, but the getting beat up afterwards – not so much."

-OOO-

The next morning was the day of leaving Hogwarts, and to Lily's astonishment, Sirius stuck to his word and was beside her at all times. Humourously, so was Estrella, so the two had a few little spats that, if she didn't know better, would have lead Lily to believe that they were stages because of their hilariousness.

On the train ride from Hogwarts, Sirius and Estrella each sat on either side of lily, shooting snarky comments at each other over her head.

"It's purple, you idiot!" exclaimed Estrella, slamming her hand on the cushion.

"Don't be stupid!" Sirius shot back. "This cushion is _so_ clearly _red_!"

"Hello? I'm a _girl_!"

"Er, _so_?"

"_So_, I know what colour it is!

"What? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Girls just know, Sirius!"

"Strelli. Sirius." Lily tolled her eyes. "Shut up."

As soon as she rose, Sirius leapt up beside her. Their compartment companions – Alice, Emmeline, Gideon, Fabian, Remus and Frank – all laughed.

"It's alright, Sirius," Lily told him. "You've been really sweet, but I'm going to the toilet."

As she exited the compartment, she heard Sirius say self-righteously to Estrella: "Did you hear that? She said I was _sweet_–"

Lily pretended she didn't care – but where was James? She hadn't seen him at all that day. She knew that as soon as she saw him she was going to confront him about that kiss–

"–Potter, you stuck-up blood traitor," she heard a voice that clearly belonged to Severus Snape say.

"You're not any better!" James shouted, and Lily peered into the compartment to see James standing over the smaller Snape, who was pressed against the wall.

"Mr Potter," she said softly, all thoughts of the kiss disappearing. "You are pathetic." She spun about and headed back to her own compartment. So much for fixing her mistake – but she couldn't go back now.

She didn't want to return to her compartment and endure Estrella and Sirius bickering so she simply turned back to the loo and waited there until the trains whistle blew to signal their approach of London. She summoned her luggage through the door of her compartment ("It's burgundy, Sirius." "What, Remus – burgundy? No way! Would you listen to the bloke, Estrella?" "What a fool he is, hey, Sirius? –I _mean_, you're an idiot." "_What?_") and started for the door off the train.

"Lily!" she heard behind her. "Lily!" Reluctantly, she turned. "Thought you'd sneak away without saying goodbye?" Sirius smirked. Estrella was right behind him. "Group hug!" he proclaimed and crushed Lily in a huge hug. Estrella wrapped her arms about Lily lower down.

"Okay, okay," Lily gasped. "Enough." Sirius dropped her.

"But Lily," Estrella said as they stepped off the train. "You don't understand–"

"Oh, there are my parents," Lily said, waving. "Don't understand what?"

"James–" Sirius filled in, but that was she needed to hear.

"_Bye_!" See you guys in January!" As Estrella continued to talk, Lily bustled off to hug her parents and endure her sister's cold shoulder.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter is rather silly and un-plot-related, so in otherwords... FILLER! (Aaah, not the F-word!).  
Anyways... Like Chapters 6 and 7, Chapters 12 and 13 are really one big chapter BUT (like Chaps 6&7), it was like a gazillion pages long and so I HAD to cut it into two, and they both have their own name and everything and I am only mentioning this because I felt like it and it is totally unnecessary.  
Now I must go memorize some Shakespeare... YIPPEEE! (not.)  
Preview: Christmas dinner, and then Dumbledore summons them to a secret meeting...! And a big shocker at the end. Oh wait. No. That is in Chapter 14, and Ch. 13 ends with a cliffhanger.  
_


	13. Chapter 13: Order Business

_Scheduled Post: Early 2007  
Actual Post: Mid-2008..  
good one. _

* * *

_A/N: Hello.  
It's been quite a while, hasn't it :) I am now 16, and when I began this story I was only 14. This writing is still from my early fifteenth year, so its not really.. that good. That is what I hate about not getting something done. When you start again partway through then the beginning is crap. Argh. Oh well.  
Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for such a long time of not publishing (over a year!!) I have so much that I barely recognize anything in this story, not the writing that is for sure. I recognize myself in some things.. but mostly in a bad way. Oh well I'll publish it anyway, and who else believes that no one will review? Because that is how I feel. I'm hoping for one. I have to admit though.. I haven't finished Chapter 14, so when I do and publish it, good news because that will be the most recent writing I have done in weeks. I'm more into my original stories now, but I haven't been posting them online. I like feedback but it's hard when everyone is so.. anonymous. Anyway, I hope that is a long enough A/N :)  
PS I am particularily sorry to **marislil****y**, as her name is now apparently. Hopefully she sees this chapter notification and reviews..? :) _

* * *

**-Chapter 13-  
_Order Business_**

Back home, Lily began spending more time with Alice once again. She had missed the other girl's fresh honesty and appealing manner. However, she was still conscious of the fact that in her own mind, Estrella has replaced Alice as closest confidant.

"More turkey, Lily, dear?" said the jovial Mrs Bones, a large slice of the meat hanging rather precariously from the end of the meat-fork.

"Can't say no," Lily replied obligingly, holding her plate up for a third helping. It was Christmas dinner, and the Bones', as the letter that Alice had received at the beginning of the year had stated, were there to celebrate with them.

"Where is young Petunia again?" Mr Bones, a man with a long black beard that quivered every time he spoke or chewed wanted to know.

"Oh, well." Mrs Evans looked over at her husband. "She decided to, erm, eat… elsewhere tonight."

"She's celebrating with her young boyfriend's family," Mr Evans put in, eyes on his plate.

"Ah, well," Mr Bones replied. "All the worse for her, to miss out on a dinner like this, eh, Alice?"

As her family and friends continued to chatter around her, Lily slowly began to push the third piece of turkey about her plate. It didn't seem to appealing any longer. When Lily and her sister had been younger – before she left for Hogwarts – they had been best of friends. The Evans sisters and Alice had been inseparable; their parents had allowed them to go anywhere as long as they were together and didn't go too far. This meant that the three of them often took jaunts in the forest, playing pretend. Petunia would be the fair maiden, Alice the brave knight and Lily the fire-breathing dragon. Or, their favourite, they were the three, young, beautiful witch sisters, who lived in a tree house and provided aid to all that came seeking it (which must have been quite amusing for Alice, when Lily looked back on it).

When Lily received her Hogwarts letter, Petunia – well, Lily wasn't quite sure what happened with Petunia. She had been too caught up in the fantasy of her new life that she supposed she rather tossed her beloved sister aside – after all, she had been only eleven, and not aware of what the consequences of these actions would be. So therefore she had been quite unpleasantly shocked when she returned home for Christmas holidays after a few magic-filled months to find her sister an entirely different person; quite cold and distant.

"Lily?" From her mother's tone of voice, Lily could tell that she had had to repeat herself a few times before Lily took notice.

"Sorry, Mum. What were you saying?"

Mrs Bones broke in. "Oh, never mind, dearie, we were only talking about the NEWTS coming up in June. Are you nervous?"

Pushing Petunia out of her mind, Lily began to answer Mrs Bones' question.

-OOO-

After the Bones' had left for their house only minutes away, Lily and her father shooed Mrs Evans out of the kitchen and began cleaning up.

"This is a nice change," Lily commented as she stacked the final dish in the dishwasher and started the machine.

"Hmm?" Mark Evans placed arm about his daughter's shoulders.

"Not to have to rely on magic for everything," she explained. "I'm sure all my friends would laugh if they hear me say that."

"It does seem a tad strange," her father admitted. "I know dozens of people who would kill for magical powers."

_I know dozens of people who can kill_ with _magical powers_, Lily thought. _Maybe that is why it's good to get away_.

Together, they walked into the living room, where Mrs Evans was sitting, reading a book she had gotten for a Christmas gift.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Eleanor asked, patting Lily on the knee.

"Fine," Lily smiled. "I missed you guys." She loved her friends at Hogwarts, but nothing could replace the feeling of her parents' arms about her when it came down to it.

-OOO-

"They're coming!" shrieked the old man, waving his broom about.

"Who's coming?" Lily questioned desperately. They were in a huge Quidditch pitch, and it was mid-day. No one else was about.

"They think they're going to take us by surprise, but I saw them!" the old man proclaimed.

"_Who_?" Lily cried, dropping to her knees. Her head was about to explode. The old man broke his broom in half with a loud snap.

"The Muggles," he hissed. "The Muggles are coming to kill all the wizards!"

The bright sun burnt Lily's eyes.

"Here they come now," the old man was yelling joyfully. Lily could hear the tapping of footsteps.

"But I'm not a witch," she managed to gasp. "I'm not a witch! Don't kill me!"

"Lily," the man, almost drowned out by the tapping, said in a feminine voice. "Wake up."

Weeping, Lily turned away from the sun – and woke up. Alice was tapping on her window ferociously. It was late at night.

"Alice?" Lily sat up and unlatched her window. "What's the matter?"

Alice was hovering outside her window on a broom. "Hurry and get dressed – Dumbledore has called an emergency meeting."

At Alice's words, Lily sprang out of bed, snatching the nearest pair of pants and top.

"Did he say why?" Lily questioned as she grabbed her wand from where it lay by her bed, stuck it in her back pocket and then pulled a jumper over her head.

"Not really," Alice replied, her cheeks rosy from the Christmas night air. "He only said to hurry."

"Where is it? Can we Apparate there?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Can't really say," Alice responded, looking a bit befuddled. "It's like I know where we have to go, but when I try to put it into words, it just doesn't work."

"Oh. Yes," Lily replied, recognizing the description. "It's a mild offset version of the Secret-Keeper Charm."

Though not a keen flier, Lily had a broomstick that her father had bought her in second year in an effort to be involved in Lily's school life, and now Lily was grateful as she rummaged it out of her closet. She had told her parents that she may be called away at times during the holiday, so she didn't bother leaving a note. She would explain fully when she got home.

"Ready?" Alice said.

Lily awkwardly managed to take off from her window, past Alice into the night sky.

"Lead on," she called, and began following Alice away from her bedroom. She took a glance back at her house before speeding off. It was a cold night, with snow just waiting to tip off the clouds in the sky. At the speed they were going, the wind bit through Lily's thin jumper, but she didn't want to waste time in slowing down to cast a warm spell. Alice led her over copses of trees, cozy farmhouses with dark windows and wide, neat fields, until finally Lily glimpsed a large mansion house set upon a hill above a small village.

"Almost there," Alice cried back to Lily, who shivered in response. They landed in a field beside the village, and were met by Estella running out to meet them.

"In here," she hissed, and brought them into the bordering forest. Crouched in a small circle, shivering, were Remus, James, Emmeline and Gideon.

"Lil," Emmeline said in welcome, grasping Lily's hand as Alice and Lily crouched down beside her.

"Dumbledore told us to expect you two," Estrella explained.

"Where is he?" asked Alice, glancing around as if the wizard was hiding behind a tree nearby.

"He's gone to get Sirius," James responded.

"He wasn't at your place?" Remus questioned.

"He went to his cousin Andromeda's for Christmas dinner. They'll be here in a moment."

"What d'you suppose is going on?" Gideon wondered aloud, rubbing his hands together for warmth.

"You mean besides the fact that that huge house on that hill is where Voldemort is right now?" Estrella asked in a still, weary attempt at making a joke.

"I suppose that's it, then," said Gideon lamely.

"How's the party?" called Sirius as he executed a fancy landing beside them. Dumbledore was a few broom-lengths behind him, black robes billowing in the wind.

"Dumbledore!" Alice exclaimed. Lily knew how she felt: the seventh-years had been called to a secret meeting, Voldemort was close by and it was cold and dark. The sight of their reliable, powerful headmaster was like a new kind of protection spell – it made everybody a bit more brave and warm.

"Good evening," the professor said, with a wry smile. "I trust you all had a pleasant and bountiful Christmas?" There were a few murmurs of agreement. "Excellent. Now, I can't stay for long – all I need you to do is sit outside the Riddle House and keep an eye on it."

There was a silence.

"That's all, sir?" Lily asked.

"That's all," he affirmed. "Follow me." He led them through the forest under a quarter moon to the other side, and up a lofty hill. The wind was picking up and the long grass danced around them as they traipsed single-file after the upright, pointy-hatted figure of their headmaster. There was a small grove of firs near the crown of the hill, and that is where Dumbledore halted and turned about.

"From here you have a clear view of the house, but they can't really see you," he told them, gesturing towards the impressive house in front of them on the next hill. It was only about as far away from them as the length of a Quidditch pitch as the crow flew, but it felt like farther because of the valley holding part of the village, Little Hangleton, that lay between the two rises.

"I think it goes without saying that none of you should be lighting fires or singing particularly rowdy songs," instructed Dumbledore. "One of you, if someone enters or exits the house, Apparate to Hogsmeade and send word to the castle through Rosmerta. Then Disapparate back here. I'll be here as soon as possible after the message reaches me." He looked around at the white faces of the seventh-years.

"Not all of you must be awake at the same time, so you may take in shifts if you desire. Alright?" Dumbledore asked. Everybody nodded. "I'll be leaving now," Dumbledore told them. "_Never take your eyes off that house_, do you understand? There has to be _at least_ one pair of eyes watching at all times. Now, I'm off to let Edgar and Hestia know that they may leave, so your shift begins as soon as I am gone." The eight students watched as he prepared to Apparate.

"Good luck," he added. "I shall be back at dawn." With a small pop, he was gone.

There was a small silence as they all swung their heads to face the Riddle House.

"Was it just me, or did Dumbledore seem, I don't know, not as collected as usual?" Gideon commented.

"He must be stressed," James replied.

"Yeah," Gideon agreed, shrugging.

"Right then," James said, turning to face everybody, as Dumbledore had done a few moments ago. "Estrella and I shall take first watch, then Emmeline and Remus. Gideon and Alice after that, and Lily and Sirius can be after that until Dumbledore comes for us. Alright with you?" He looked about, obviously not expecting any contradictions. None came. "Excellent." He and Estrella sat off to the side a bit, so no one could distract them.

"Did you he just do all that matching up in his head?" Sirius asked quietly to Lily. "A boy each with a girl, and he didn't put Gideon and Emmeline together so they shan't snog the whole time, and you and he didn't end up together, so that excludes awkwardness…"

"Suppose so," she replied.

"You know that only certifiable people have minds that organized," Sirius commented.

"He must be mad, then," she responded calmly. There was a pause, and both began laughing.

"But who does he think he is, ordering us about like that?" demanded Lily.

"Lily, Lily, Lily." Sirius shook his head. "Admit it – a few seconds later you would have done the exact thing." He nudged her. "Come on – admit it!"

"Okay, yes."

"_Talk to him_, Lily!" Sirius suddenly whisper-yelled. Around them, everybody was settling down for a nap before their shift. "_Please_. For my sake."

She rolled her eyes. "No. I am not giving in before he does. Besides, it's his fault – he's the one who walked away in the first place."

"I have no idea what you are talking of, but you know who you sound like right now?"

"No."

"Don't you want to know _who_?"

"Sirius."

He leaned back on his hands and took a deep breath. "Beautiful night."

"_Who_?" Lily hissed.

"Me," he chortled. "You sound like me when I am being obnoxiously juvenile."

"So, pretty much all the time, that would be?"

"Ha-ha."

"Sirius, Lily!" Remus snapped. "Hush. Go to sleep."

Lily only poked Sirius in the arm before lying down and using a tuft of grass as a pillow.

It was a long night. Sirius was right – it was beautiful; the clouds had been cleared away by the wind that had been building up through the night. Despite a warming spell she cast upon herself, Lily felt a little chilly. She was going to have to practice that charm. It was nearly impossible to sleep under the circumstances – Lord Voldemort was only a Quidditch pitch away! She jolted awake every time someone moved, and when James and Estrella shook Emmeline and Remus awake to take over, she couldn't believe that only two hours had passed. She was just settling down again when someone poked her in the shoulder.

"What?" she snapped irritably.

"Here." It was James, offering her a pillow.

It took a while, but Lily decided to reply. It must have taken a lot of courage on James' part to pick up a conversation with her.

"Where did you get that?" she asked. He hadn't brought a stack from home, had he?

"I transfigured a stick," he explained.

"Clever," she told him. "I should have thought of that…"

Neither said anything. She looked at him. Slowly, she reached out her own hand and grasped the pillow.

"Thank you," she whispered. For a moment, both were holding the pillow, and then he released it, gave a small smile, and rolled over.

_Now you start at 0_, Lily thought to herself. _Do something good, plus 1. But something bad – take away 1. We'll see._ She lay down once again, only to be disturbed by Sirius laying one of his jumpers over her, and then transfiguring it into a blanket.

"Show-off," she muttered as he did the same for Estrella. He grinned affectionately as she drifted off at long last.

-OOO-

When she woke it was still dark.

"Can't sleep?" she heard Sirius say quite near her. He wasn't talking to her, she realized as James muttered affirmation a bit further away.

"Me, too," Sirius replied. "Had a weird dream."

"What of?" James grumbled, obviously realizing that Sirius wasn't going to leave him in peace.

"Can't remember," Sirius continued. "All I know is that is was weird."

James sighed. "Interesting." Sirius said nothing.

The blanket he had transfigured was thick and warm, and she pulled it in a bit tighter against the Christmas night air. Or rather, Boxing Day morning air. It had to be almost Lily's watch soon.

"What are you going to do, James?" Sirius' tone was, well, serious.

"About what?" James grunted, clearly irritated.

"Lily," Sirius said.

Lily had been drifting off again, but her ears perked at this.

"What do you mean?" asked James. Lily couldn't read his tone.

"I think you know," Sirius replied. There was a sigh from James. "I don't really know, though," Sirius continued. "I don't know what's going on between you two."

"Maybe that's because it's none of your business," James whispered loudly.

"Hmm, testy," Sirius observed. James was silent once again.

Lily realized that her heart was pounding and she was digging her nails into her palm. She let out a deep breath (quietly), and rubbed her fingers against the half-moon marks she had imprinted into her own hands. What was James going to say? Was he going to say that he had kissed her only because he had wanted to prove he could do it? Or was he going to say–

"James," said Sirius once more.

"I suppose I'll tell you," James finally told him.

"Go on, then."

"I love her. You know that, right, mate? I mean, I have loved her ever since I met her, really."

Lily's breath was stuck in her throat. She couldn't breathe.

"Loving Lily is just a part of why I am. But, always, _always_, she's hated me. And it's not like I don't know why – I'm a prick around her, I really am. I can't help it – it's like my alter ego takes over when she's around me. But I thought, this year, it would be different. I had control of myself. I no longer gave into the urge to show off around her. And _finally_, we became friends. And you know how you and Remus were always on at me about how could I love her, I didn't even know her? Well, she was everything I knew she was, Sirius. She is better. She is – she is – indescribable. I loved her even more…"

"I don't mean to push you, mate, but… then?" Sirius said in a very Sirius way.

"Of course you mean to push me, Sirius." James managed a quiet laugh. "Then we went to the ball, we danced… I almost kissed her then, but… we were interrupted. I thought I was null and void when she went to the ball with you, Sirius, but after she told me that she didn't love you, I thought that maybe, maybe I was in the clear again. But the ball didn't work out. Then I got her alone again, I was going to tell her I loved her, but it didn't work out again. So I concentrated on getting closer and closer to her. We were together a lot, because of patrols and she finally found out about us. The Death Eaters came, and I have never been so bloody scared in my life because, Sirius, Dumbledore sent her to the Owlery, and she never came back. So when, finally, I saw her again, I had to do it."

"Do what?" Sirius asked breathlessly.

"I kissed her. I actually kissed her, and we were bloody interrupted by bloody Gideon, and – and – and… and I don't know what happened."

"Tell me anyway."

"You only want to know because you love a bit of gossip, you old housewife."

"Tell me anyway," repeated Sirius.

"Well, well, okay. So, we were kissing, and it _was_ mutual, I know, and Giddy said my name, and then Lily sprang away from me like I was a bloody leper or something."

"So what'd you do? Tell Gideon to piss off, and get it on with Lilykins in the hospital wing?"

Even Lily, who was almost crying, had to try not to laugh.

"No. I left."

"_What_?" Sirius cried loudly. Gideon and Alice, who were on watch, glanced over curiously.

"Sssh," James hissed. Lily could practically feel him glance at each sleeping body, because she would do the exact same.

"_What?_" Sirius repeated in the same tone except much more quietly. "You just… walked away?"

"Sirius, I tell you, she looked terrified, or, I can't think of the perfect word… she looked… like she had just signed her own death sentence…"

"Hmm, not a good sign, I would say."

"So what would you say I do, Sirius? Sirius the wise?"

"I have no idea, mate. This is really a mystery to me – not! James, tell her everything you just told me and you'll be married before you can say Wronski_ Feint_. I'm positive," said Sirius confidently. And he was right, according to Lily.

"What about when I kept pushing her away when she was trying to talk to me again, or when I was hexing Snape because I was generally pissed off and she found us? Those will just disappear?"

"No, but you've got to make a move, mate. She's not going to."

"Okay, so, this is what I am going to say: I'm sorry for being such a prick and all-around annoying for six and a half years, and that time I kissed you, and that time I ran away, and that time I walked away, and that time I hexed Snape, that other time I hexed Snape, that other time, that other, well, all the other times, and, er, sorry for asking you out that time, and that other time, that other time, that other, okay, so all those other times, too. But you're still welcome for that pillow. And, by the way, I love you," James finished.

"That's pretty good," said Sirius. Lily agreed.

"Sirius." Alice was walking over, calling his name. Lily quickly closed her eyes. "It's your and Lily's watch," Alice continued.

A few seconds later, Sirius poked Lily to wake her up. She made a big deal of yawning and stretching and acting as if she had just woken up.

"Hurry up," Sirius muttered, not impressed. She brought her blanket and her pillow. They reached Gideon, and Lily sat on her pillow, blanket wrapped tightly around her. Gideon muttered sleepily, and left. Neither Lily nor Sirius said anything for over two hours. Lily didn't want to talk about anything because of everything going through her head – it was hers to think about, not anyone's to discuss. Sirius was probably silent for the same reason. By the time Dumbledore had Apparated back to their little group, Lily had a plan of action.

"Good morning," the professor greeted them.

"Professor," Sirius said, his voice a bit raspy because of lack of use.

"I assume it went well," Dumbledore responded, looking about them at the sleeping friends.

"Very," Lily replied.

"Not a peep from the house?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Excellent. I suppose all of you must be exhausted, so I shall allow you to Apparate home now."

Everybody was awake now, stretching and looking at his or her wristwatches.

"Oh," groaned Estrella. "My ma will kill me if I go home at this hour. She loves her sleep." Estrella lived with her mother in a small flat in London. Her father had died when she was very young.

"Come to mine," Lily told her, linking arms with Estrella, in a supremely good mood.

"Yes," Estrella agreed. "But what's got you so happy?"

"I'll tell you when we get home," chuckled Lily. Together, they Apparated into Lily's sitting room. The dawn light was shining through the heavy curtains.

"I saw your owl outside," Estrella told Lily. "I'll go send a note to my mum about where I am." She went out the front door as Lily started going upstairs to let her parents know she was home.

Her hand was on their bedroom door's knob when she heard Estrella scream.

* * *

_A/N: Uh oh :O what's goin on? You'll find out someday.. So thanks for reading after all this time :) And believe me, the more reviews the faster the next chapter, because reviews do inspire me.  
This chapter was a bit rushed and unfun, I'll admit, due to lack of edits and inspiration. I remember that I just wanted to get it done because of the plot. And the James loving Lily part.. we all know it had to come out.  
Chapter Preview: Not entirely sure. We'll find out what happened to make E scream.. and I haven't really gotten it all planned out so we'll see. Just so you know it ruins anything happening between J and L.. heheh. _


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